Local students build playhouse for charity

Students from Transition Place Education Centre, Meadow Lake’s alternative high school, had unique learning and community opportunities this semester thanks to an interactive shop class. 

Teacher Eric Adams said the construction and carpentry program has been in the works for a few years, so the students are exposed to even more career options. Thanks to a partnership between the Northwest School Division, the Ministry of Immigration, and Career Training/CanSask Labour Market Services, students have set up a shop at Thompson’s Plumbing and Heating and built a playhouse which Meadow Lake Kidsport is raffling off.

“It’s been a great project,” Adams said. “We were able to cover all the aspects of basic residential construction. It’s been evolving over a few years. Hopefully our projects can get bigger and explore some different avenues for these students to have different experiences.”

About 20 of the school’s students helped at different stages, including building, plumbing, wiring, and painting, and Adams said they enjoyed the process.

“They especially liked when they would see big gains,” Adams said. “Like the framing or the roof coming on. They like working with their hands and like seeing the progress being made. I think it’s a great program.”

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Student Tristen Sullivan said he was fascinated by the project and was fortunate to take part in it.

“It’s been really fun. I like the construction and trying new things, get to try new tools and stuff,” Sullivan said. “I think it will really help me later in life. I like doing the electricity part the most.”

Kidsport Meadow Lake Chair Brian Gislason said the organization appreciates the school choosing Kidsport to raffle off the playhouse.

“It’s a beautiful building,” Gislason said. “We feel really blessed to have the opportunity. They’ve learned a lot of skills doing this project. They’ve shingled, framed, did some wiring, plumbing, painting. The fact we have teenage kids doing it, and some of the younger kids will be benefitting from their work, it’s a double win.”

The playhouse is expected to raise as much as $5,000 for the local group, which helps youths in the community enroll in their favourite sports. Last year, over 140 young athletes were supported locally by Kidsport.

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath