SAN ANTONIO – A San Antonio high school student took what she learned in the classroom and put the skills into action when the pipes in her family’s home burst.
Tracy Sinha and her family had to stay at their relatives’ home last week after losing power and water due to the winter storm that affected many parts of the state. Sinha said her daughter, 15-year-old Meadow Quigley, knew exactly what to do when she saw their pipes had burst.
“We went to Lowe’s, and we got like just some primer and cement from the plumbing section. Then, we went back, and we’re like, ‘OK, we should probably wait ‘til tomorrow because it’s going to freeze again tonight,’” Quigley said.
Quigley is a sophomore at Construction Careers Academy and has been studying plumbing, pipefitting and welding.
“She has some social anxiety, and so I see her being unsure of herself on a lot of things. And watching her do this ... she was not unsure. She was in charge. She knew what she was doing,” Sinha said about her daughter.
Quigley fixed the issue, and the family had running water. She said she looks forward to helping others repair these types of problems.
Sinha said Quigley’s school has changed her daugher’s life. Quigley will be graduating with plumbing, pipefitting and welding skills, plus certifications. She hopes to start a business one day.