TAF Academy students will build homes for the homeless

From staff reports

On March 27, 2017, a group of Technology Access Foundation Academy high-school students will travel to Olympia to compete against other career and technical education students in the 2017 CTE Showcase of Skills. This one-day competition is unlike most; it isn’t a presentation of research or a mock up of a prototype. This competition will end up putting 25 new homes in a Washington city, all to benefit the homeless community.

The competition, coordinated by Washington’s Workforce Board, is open to 25 teams from Washington state high schools, colleges and skill centers. Each team will be tasked with building a portable, energy efficient homeless shelter or as the challenge calls them, tiny homes.

Under the leadership of engineering instructor Gabriel Diaz, students have already been studying sustainable energy and creating their own minicities that take into account key elements of the upcoming challenge.

“This experience of joining together with a larger community in service of others will prove to be one that our students will not only engage in meaningful learning, but also enjoy and have fun,” TAF Academy principal Pam Tuggle said. “It will give them a great sense of accomplishment.”

Those interested in providing additional support to the academy, contact Education Director Chris Alejano at chrisa@techaccess.org.