Students are building a house in Annandale
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| The construction site on Holyoke Drive, Annandale. |
Students
with special needs have started construction on a new house in Annandale. The
students are in the Building Futures program at schools run by Phillips Program for Children and Families.
with special needs have started construction on a new house in Annandale. The
students are in the Building Futures program at schools run by Phillips Program for Children and Families.
The
students, along with Phillips administrators, teachers, parents, and
business and civic leaders, gathered at the house, at 6459 Holyoke Drive, for a “wall
raising” on Feb. 9.
students, along with Phillips administrators, teachers, parents, and
business and civic leaders, gathered at the house, at 6459 Holyoke Drive, for a “wall
raising” on Feb. 9.
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| This is what the new house will look like. |
Phillips Programs serve students age 6-22 who have significant learning and emotional challenges
and who have faced repeated failure and frustration in regular schools. There
are campuses in Annandale, Fairfax, and Laurel, Md.
and who have faced repeated failure and frustration in regular schools. There
are campuses in Annandale, Fairfax, and Laurel, Md.
Building
Futures offers students academic programming and supportive services while they
learn the building trades. Participating students spend
half the day in the classroom and then rotate to the job site for the remainder
of the day where they learn carpentry, construction design, drywall, plumbing, and
landscaping.
Futures offers students academic programming and supportive services while they
learn the building trades. Participating students spend
half the day in the classroom and then rotate to the job site for the remainder
of the day where they learn carpentry, construction design, drywall, plumbing, and
landscaping.
The
house they are building on Holyoke Drive will have three bedrooms, four bathrooms,
a media room, an office or fifth bedroom, an open-concept main level with a
large pantry and mudroom, a porch, decks, and a two-car garage, says Phillips
spokesperson Shawn Flaherty.
house they are building on Holyoke Drive will have three bedrooms, four bathrooms,
a media room, an office or fifth bedroom, an open-concept main level with a
large pantry and mudroom, a porch, decks, and a two-car garage, says Phillips
spokesperson Shawn Flaherty.
The lot has been empty since the Phillips Program purchased it, although there had been a house there
at one time. It should probably take about two years to build the house.
at one time. It should probably take about two years to build the house.
It’s close to another house built
by Phillips students last year at 6439 Holyoke Drive. That house sold in
October for $592,000.
by Phillips students last year at 6439 Holyoke Drive. That house sold in
October for $592,000.
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| The walls are going up. |
Building Futures is all about the development of job skills,
not churning out houses, says Flaherty. The students do most of the work under
the supervision of professionals. Some of the work, such as electrical, is
subbed out.
not churning out houses, says Flaherty. The students do most of the work under
the supervision of professionals. Some of the work, such as electrical, is
subbed out.
The students can earn an OSHA certification, a
credential that that makes them eligible
for further training or hiring opportunities, along with a high
school diploma
credential that that makes them eligible
for further training or hiring opportunities, along with a high
school diploma
2 responses to “Students are building a house in Annandale”
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What a great program! Happy to hear that these young people are being given the opportunity to learn marketable skills, the value of hard work and the corresponding sense of accomplishment for a job well done. Kudos to them and the program organizers.
"Phillips Programs serve students age 6-22 who have significant learning and emotional challenges and who have faced repeated failure and frustration in regular schools. There are campuses in Annandale, Fairfax, and Laurel, Md."
A student who has problems in school still has a shot at a productive, independent future because of programs like this. I only wish there were more of them; it's too easy to write these kids and young adults off as "a loss" and put them in a facility or boot them to the curb. As these all-to-rare school-to-work programs show, there are other, better options!