Students Building Futures
The Spring Home and Garden Show put a spotlight on Home Building Foundation’s efforts to connect with local construction education. Students built two adorable playhouses at Beaverton’s Merlo Station High School program, and we asked to have them displayed at the Home Building Association show. Creative expert Puji Sherer at Miller Paint picked a perfect palette, and the kids added cute half doors to the structures. Show exhibitor Jeremy Killan with Tiny Heirloom Homes brought over a truck, Triax Metals provided a forklift, and got them on the road.
Tiny Heirloom Homes Pickup at Merlo Station
Kids Loving the Playhouse
The houses were a hit with the small guests who came to the Expo Center. Merlo’s students enter a lottery to take their construction classes, and come from all over the Beaverton District. We look forward to working with the Merlo students again this spring, as they are building picnic tables for our shelter partners. The homes are for sale, contact info@BevertonEdfoundation.org if you are interested.
Yamhill -Carlton High School
Yamhill-Carlton Busy Bees
Students at Yamhill Carlton High built some very tiny homes this spring. Homes for bees! Blanchet House Farms in Carlton is a residential facility for men in recovery, and students at the high school volunteered to construct a project for the farm. HBF’s Project Manager Chris McDowell used grant dollars to purchase the bee house kits, picking high quality materials that will hold up for many years. Teacher Trevor DaSilva handed off the project to some of his more experienced students, who put them together this winter. The farm picked them up for delivery to the farm in early March, and hopefully will harvest honey from the houses soon.
Glencoe High
Glencoe Senior Crew
At Glencoe High, a team of students are completing sheds for their senior project. Teacher Todd Patterson volunteered his students to help us with our work for Project Homeless Connect in Hillsboro, which is very near the Glencoe campus. HBF donated materials for the project, which will make a major impact. The sheds will help PHC store outdoor items behind the shelter, which provides meals and counseling services for people living outdoors. Students at St. Helens High are also completing a shed, using materials donated by HBF, which will be donated to nonprofits.
Reynolds Learning Academy
HBF's Chris McDowell Tool School
At Reynolds Learning Academy, HBF dropped off some great new tools this winter to help the students there complete a shed. When it is complete, we will bring it to our 2022 shelter project, HomePlate Youth Services in Beaverton. Reynolds Learning students took a tour of HomePlate last year, then built raised beds that now are ready for planting.
Other High School Helpers
Meanwhile, Grant High School welcomed Andy Goebels from Do Good Multnomah to tell them more about projects like St. John’s Village and Veterans Village. This will inspire them as they build picnic tables with materials donated by HBF, which will be delivered to shelter organizations later this school year. In addition, Sherwood High students will begin work shortly on benches that will be featured at the 2023 NW Natural Street of Dreams.
Home Building Foundation is using a combination of grants, as well as donated or discounted materials to bring these needed projects to area classrooms. If you’d like to join our efforts, please contact HBF’s Workforce Development Coordinator Teresa Spangler. Teresas@hbapdx.org.