12/15/2007 ... ROBINSON DAILY NEWS
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 Collin Walls, on the stepstool, and Caleb Wesley work on paint and drywall in the first apartment. This apartment above the Art Center is near completion and renovation of a second has begun. (Josh Brown photo) |
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PHS students put skills to work in renovation
Artist Relocation Project benefits from hard work by building-trades class.
By JOSH BROWN
Daily News
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Several Palestine High School students are participating in a community project - and getting school credit for their work.
The Construction Technology class at PHS, taught by Bob Enigk, has been receiving "on-the-job training" as students help renovate the Palestine Art Center at 110 S. Main.
The project began last August, when the Palestine Development Association, which owns the building, approached the school about the project. The building was purchased in September 2005 by Jim Goodwine, Steve McGahey and other Palestine residents in conjunction with the Artist Relocation Project, and then donated the building to the PDA.
Soon after, students from Enigk's Construction Technology class began work to renovate the downstairs part of the buildings - which were in bad shape, to say the least.
"These buildings were absolutely nothing when we started," Enigk said. "The plumbing was redone, gas lines were replaced and heating and air units were installed throughout."
A licensed professional was called in to do the gas-line work, but the students did assist with that as well as some minor plumbing work.
The units downstairs house an art studio, where work from several local and area artists is on display, as well as a jewelry store owned by Angie Moraga.
Students last year spent a considerable amount of time hanging drywall and painting, and had to be fairly quick about it, as plans to open the art center were progressing rapidly.
"Last year, Angie's jewelry store was taped and drywalled in two class periods," Enigk said.
In addition to the work downstairs, efforts in the upstairs portion, where three apartments are located, are moving along nicely as well. One apartment is near completion and work on the second has begun. The apartments are basically being rebuilt from the floors up, having been a shambles prior to the renovation effort. Students have installed heating and air units; cut ductwork; installed plumbing, electrical work, cable and telephone wiring; hung drywall; painted and even built countertops from scratch.
They have also done all of the design work on the project, most of which is being done on computer.
"The students are very motivated," Enigk said. "I am totally proud of them and the whole project."
The only money being spent on this project is for materials, which comes from the PDA coffers. Reinbold estimates between $40,000 and 50,000 has been spent over the past two years. A lot of that money, however, has come from grants, such as Claypool, Herning and others. Some materials, such as the glass for the storefronts, were donated by local businesses as well.
The goal for this year's portion of the project is to finish the first apartment to make it able to rent, with the hope of bringing some income to the PDA. Enigk would also like to see significant progress on the second apartment before the end of the school year. He believes it will take at least another year to complete the project, and hopes his students can continue to be a part of it.
"As long as the grant money and finances hold up, we will keep working," Enigk said. "We are hoping to expand the program and get some of the female population involved. I have been approached by a couple of girls already. This is not an all-guys class."
The amount of work that has already been completed is amazing, considering the seven students in the class only have 80 minutes a day to devote to the project.
Students enrolled in this year's section are Caleb Wesley, Matt Ellis, Anthony Shanes, Collin Walls, Kotah Heggie, Brent Powell and Michael Carpenter.
"The kids learn fast," Enigk said. "You show them once, they are pretty good about getting the job done without someone standing over them all the time."
Ellis is actually in the second section, Construction Technology II, as he was in last year's class as well. Other students in last year's class were Nick Anderson, Wes Hulfachor, Nic Goodwine, Trevor Mullins, Jared Wesley and Dustin Wood.
Jared Wesley, now an LTC student, still pitches in on the project when he can get time outside of his class schedule, according to Enigk.
The labor for this project has been done almost exclusively by the students, with the instruction and guidance of Enigk, as well as Eugene Reinbold and Larry Surrells.
"Eugene is here every day on a totally voluntary basis," Enigk said. "He is not receiving anything for his time and effort.
Reinbold, the project coordinator for the art center, has been the go-between for the school and the PDA.
"Eugene knows the way the PDA wants things to be done, but he has also given the kids pretty much free rein," Enigk said.
"They are learning a lot," Reinbold said. "Last year they did mostly drywall work, but they are getting more and more experience this year with painting, cabinet making and more. They are doing a lot of things in a short amount of time."
Enigk added the experience these students are receiving is something that can't be learned in a classroom.
"All the ripping and tearing out that had to be done before you can build, you are not going to get that out of a textbook," Enigk said. "To do something like this, they should be able to go to a new construction job without any problem."
In fact, one student already has. Caleb Wesley is currently assisting his father in building a house in Palestine.
The lessons these students are learning are valuable, but it is also significant that the students receive credit for their efforts.
"It is important to see the kids get recognition for this," Enigk said. "But without the school board, Mr. (John) Hasten (Unit 3 superintendent), Arlene Lindsay (PHS principal) and the PDA, we wouldn't have had this opportunity.
"This is not just a teacher-student project, the whole community is involved. I am just proud to be a part of it."
"When all is said and done 20 years from now, these kids can say 'I helped build that'," Hasten said. "They will have developed a sense of pride in their town."
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