By Kim McDarison
The Whitewater Unified School District (WUSD) has announced that it has donated two student-built sheds to members of the community.
The sheds, donated last week, were built as part of the “Whitewater Builds” program, according to a recent news release.
In its first year, the program was developed and led by Tony Saverine, who presented a proposal to the school board in March, at which time the board gave program approval. The proposal presented program curricula which could be taught in summer school and during the full school year. The summer school program allowed high school students to learn hands-on skills by building sheds.
According to the proposal, which was submitted by RRR, LLC, two sections of the program were developed to be offered during summer school this year, during which students built two 10-foot by 12-foot garden sheds. The summer school program was designed to accommodate a total of 12-20 students, the program literature stated.
Longterm goals of the program include: a summer school program that will build two sheds each year; the construction of a garage, with potential expansion to a moveable single-family home, over the course of the regular school year; donation or auctioning of the completed items, which, the literature stated, will create “great community exposure or composition of budget for future programming.”
The program also would provide a connection to elementary and middle school students in technical education classes “that focus on trades and curriculum to help build foundational knowledge in preparedness for high school program(s),” information shared with the board in March stated.
The program came with a proposed budget of $45,000, which included $15,000 for materials to build two sheds; $1,000 for tools and a student handbook to accompany the program; $4,500 for “onsite school tools”; $5,000 for marketing, including student t-shirts, collateral, local advertising and PR; $18,500 for a general contractor, including “exclusively onsite full-time labor, insurance, sub-contractor, taxes, etc.,” and $1,000 labeled “contingency.”
Additionally, the proposal included an “other considerations” page, which noted that goals would include building an awareness of the program through a survey to students to gauge interest, and outreach to local media; exploring longterm branding and marketing linkages to curricula provided through art and marketing classes, and resolving how “materials and invoices will be paid for by the school — through donations, fundraisers, etc.”
“Whitewater Builds is an outstanding partnership that gives students the opportunity to gain valuable skills throughout the summer. We are so proud of our students for all the hard work they have put in and are pleased to have the chance to donate these beautiful sheds to two of our community members,” district Superintendent Caroline Pate-Hefty was quoted as saying in information released to the media Wednesday.
The full program proposal is here: http://fortatkinsononline.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/httpsgo.boarddocs.comwiwwusdBoard.nsffilesCCYNX261FD79fileWhitewater20Builds.pdf.
“Whitewater Builds” program facilitator Tony Saverine, from left, and community member Edie Oldenburg stand near a shed that was built by Whitewater High School students and donated to Oldenburg. She was one of two recipients chosen by the Whitewater Unified School District Board of Education to receive a shed, according to information released by the district. Contributed photo.
“Whitewater Builds” program facilitator Tony Saverine, from left, and community member Grant Brown stand near a shed that was built by Whitewater High School students and donated to Brown. He was one of two recipients chosen by the Whitewater Unified School District Board of Education to receive a shed, according to information released by the district. Contributed photo.
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