Hamilton Community Schools is lighting a new path for students through its innovative Ignite Program — a blended learning model that combines online coursework with hands-on experience in the skilled trades and community service.
Now in its first year, Ignite serves 13 Hamilton High School students who are gaining valuable trade experience while completing their classes virtually. For three days each week (Monday through Wednesday), students complete their core courses online through the Edmentum platform under the guidance of Hamilton teachers and administrators. Then, on Thursdays and Fridays, they step outside the traditional classroom and into the real world — learning through job sites, service projects, and trade experiences across West Michigan.
“Ignite is designed for students who want to learn differently,” said Mat Rehkopf, Director of Career, College and Innovative Programs. “Some students learn best by doing — by using their hands, building, and problem-solving. This program allows them to do that while still earning their required credits and preparing for life after high school.”
One of the cornerstone experiences of Ignite is ROUTE, a skilled trades learning center near Holland that gives students early exposure to multiple construction fields. Hamilton students spend a full day at ROUTE working alongside skilled professionals to learn framing, electrical, plumbing, siding, woodworking, and more.
Students are currently building complete bathroom units from the ground up — constructing floors, framing walls, installing electrical and plumbing, hanging doors and windows, and even adding finishing touches like laminate flooring.
“We wanted to get these students started earlier with hands-on trade skills,” Rehkopf explained. “By the time they reach Careerline Tech Center as juniors or seniors, they’ll already know how to safely use tools, measure accurately, and understand how a project comes together from start to finish.”
The collaboration with ROUTE originated when Rehkopf and Work-Based Learning Coordinator Ashley Meyer, along with CORE Principal and Hamilton High School Assistant Principal David Sheppard, began exploring ways to give students earlier access to career-based learning opportunities.
“ROUTE was originally a homeschool mini tech center,” Rehkopf said. “They’ve been incredible partners and now dedicate one full day each week exclusively for Hamilton students.”
In addition to ROUTE, Ignite students are also partnering with several community organizations for real-world projects, including Habitat for Humanity, Love INC, the Outdoor Discovery Center, and an organization that builds beds for children in need.
Students have helped frame homes, install doors, paint walls, and build furniture — all while seeing how their work directly impacts others.
“We want students to apply what they’re learning in meaningful ways,” Rehkopf said. “Whether they’re helping Habitat for Humanity prepare a home for a family, or realizing how geometry applies when building campsites with the Outdoor Discovery Center, these experiences are connecting classroom learning with real life.”
Looking ahead, the district hopes to expand Ignite into internship-based experiences, giving students the chance to earn real work hours and even job certifications while still in high school.
“Next year, we’d love to see our sophomores transition into internship-style opportunities with local businesses,” Rehkopf shared. “Some might continue with Ignite, others might go to the Tech Center, or even dual enroll in college courses — it’s all about creating flexible, personalized pathways.”
For Hamilton Community Schools, Ignite is more than a program — it’s part of a broader vision to prepare every student for their unique future, whether that’s college, a trade, or direct entry into the workforce.
“Our goal is simple,” Rehkopf said. “When students graduate from Hamilton High School, we want them to have a plan. Whether that’s a trade, a career, or a college path, Ignite helps them discover what’s possible.”
