CCDI - Construction Career Development Initiative

Our next 2026 Build Our Future Scholarship spotlight is Brooklyn Elliott. Brooklyn is a senior at Pattonville High School graduating with an outstanding 4.3 GPA and a 31 ACT score. This fall, she will attend Missouri S&T to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Brooklyn’s accomplishments extend far beyond the classroom. She is involved in 10 different school clubs and activities and has earned a top seat in orchestra as a violinist, demonstrating both discipline and creativity in everything she pursues. Her passion for learning was inspired at an early age by her mother, a second grade teacher in the Ritenour School District, who helped foster Brooklyn’s curiosity, work ethic, and love of education.

Brooklyn is entering one of the most rigorous and demanding engineering fields with both confidence and purpose. She understands the importance of representation and hopes to help create more opportunities for future generations pursuing STEM careers. In her scholarship essay, Brooklyn shared: “As a Black girl pursuing engineering, I am entering a field where people like me are underrepresented, and financial barriers often make that path even harder to access. With this scholarship, I can take the first steps toward a career centered on inclusive innovation.”

Brooklyn represents the next generation of engineering leaders whose talent, determination, and vision will help shape the future of our industry. We are incredibly excited to support Brooklyn as she begins this next chapter at Missouri S&T and cannot wait to see all she accomplishes in the years ahead.

Today’s 2026 Build Our Future Scholarship spotlight is Savannah Ewing. Savannah is a senior at Pattonville High School whose passion for engineering, curiosity for learning, and commitment to creating change have already set her apart as an emerging leader in STEM. She has earned an impressive 3.91 GPA, scored a 30 on the ACT, and this fall will attend the University of North Carolina at Charlotte to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering.

Savannah’s interest in engineering began in the classroom through her love of physics and the challenge of understanding how systems work together. In her scholarship essay, she reflected on how those experiences led her toward Architectural and Civil Engineering and inspired her desire to create spaces that are not only functional, but equitable and accessible for all people. She wrote, “My foundation for change means being the representation I once looked for. I recognized from a very young age that seeing women, especially women of color, in the field of engineering was rare.”

Savannah has already built an impressive resume of leadership and academic experiences. Through Black Girls Do STEM, she explored multiple STEM career pathways and participated in advanced research opportunities, including contributing to a published research project connected to Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. She also presented at the National Public Health Conference in Atlanta and participated in Boeing’s Girls Do STEM aerospace engineering program.

Savannah’s story reflects the power of representation, opportunity, and perseverance. We are incredibly proud to support her as part of our 2026 Build Our Future Scholarship class and cannot wait to see the impact she will make in the engineering field and beyond.

Week two of our 2026 Build Our Future Scholarship announcement series continues with a spotlight on Ron Luttrell. Ron is a senior at Normandy High School whose hard work, leadership, and commitment to education have positioned him for a bright future in engineering.

Throughout high school, Ron has consistently challenged himself academically and taken advantage of opportunities to prepare for college and his future career. He participated in the UMSL Bridge Program, BrightPath, and was dual enrolled at St. Louis Community College, where he earned college credits while still in high school.

This fall, Ron will attend Southern Illinois University Edwardsville to pursue a degree in Civil Engineering. What stands out most about Ron is not only his academic drive, but his desire to lead by example for those around him, especially his younger brother. In his scholarship essay, Ron wrote:

“And most importantly to me, my goal is to serve as a powerful role model for my 13 year old little brother. In a world that could easily breed pessimism, I have chose to lead by example, demonstrating that dedication, hard work, and a commitment to education can create opportunity.”

Ron’s determination, maturity, and focus on creating opportunities for himself and his family make him an outstanding representative of our 2026 Build Our Future Scholarship class. Please join us in congratulating Ron on his accomplishments and wishing him success as he begins this exciting next chapter at SIUE.