May 5, 2005

Students from nine area high schools participated in the fifth annual Design-Build Playhouse/Service Learning project sponsored by the Contractors’ Advisory Association of North Iowa Area Community College’s Building Trades Program.

The NIACC Building Trades Program hosts an annual career guidance activity designed to build partnerships with high schools in North Iowa. In an effort to add variety to the event, Andy Wermes, NIACC Building Trades Instructor and the NIACC Contractors’ Advisory Association (CAA) invited area high schools to participate in a design-build Service Learning activity in which the high schools designed and built a playhouse or other structure. The playhouses and other structures were then transported to the NIACC campus where a team of architects and members of the CAA judged the playhouses.

"We feel that the Design-Build Playhouse/Service Learning project and event are a real success," Wermes said. "We want to continue to encourage high schools to build their construction programs and engage their students in service learning activities."

Categories and winners were:

Each school has chosen a non-profit preschool or childcare facility to which the final project will be donated.

Participating schools received $350 from the CAA to help with building costs. High school students began the project in the middle of February and will complete the project by early May for the competition.

Each playhouse/structure was required to have a 48 square-feet base in any design the students wish, walls could only be six feet in height and the playhouse must take into consideration the safety of small children such as no glass, no sharp objects, etc.

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For more information, contact the Marketing and Community Relations Department
North Iowa Area Community College, 500 College Drive, Mason City, Iowa  50401
422-4295 or 1-888-GO NIACC, ext. 4295
www.niacc.edu