Teens build green playhouse as summer project

With stacked wine bottles for windows, hay bales for walls and recycled metal for roofing, Carver Elementary School's new kindergarten playhouse will be green as can be.

The Green Development Project is one of Yuma Private Industry Council's summer youth projects. YPIC has trained 10 young people - age 16 to 19 - in construction and the use of alternative building materials.

Frank Orta, professor of carpentry at Arizona Western College, instructs the youths and oversees the project.

"It teaches students to work outside and to work with their hands to build a structure," Orta said. "If they go into the construction field, it's going to be wide open for them."

YPIC's summer youth projects are part of a special summer program made possible by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The program is open to young people age 14 to 24 who want to gain job skills and practical experience while earning minimum wage. All participants come from low-income families, as stipulated by the government.

More than 800 young people are currently involved with the program, working either in local businesses or on one of YPIC's special projects. Each participant is required to attend a two-week work readiness class, specified to his or her individual program.

Aside from the Green Development Project, there are six other projects taking place in Yuma: the Dance Project, the Culinary Arts Project, the Recreational Leadership Project, the Green Education Project, the Mural Project and the Career Development Project.

According to Orta, participants in the Green Demonstration Project have been exposed to just about every facet of the construction business. He said participants have learned to use power tools, estimate concrete volume, read blueprints and communicate with industry professionals.

Once the playhouse is complete, they will have been involved with every aspect of the building, from baking recycled-paper bricks to hanging drywall over the hay bale walls.

Just about every material used in the structure is renewable, said Orta.

"We use all green natural resources. The stuff we use is so plentiful, we hardly use any wood," he said. "If it's going to a landfill, why not use it for a building project?"

Rose Phipps, assistant to the instructor and a Construction Trades Management student at AWC, said she has seen a positive impact on the participating students.

"I've seen a lot of growth," Phipps said. "It was a shock for most of them to be doing hands-on work but they are joining in. The use of leadership has helped. You give them something to be in charge of and they step up and lead."

Jesus Barajas, 19, said he had been working in construction but was laid off. Barajas said he decided to participate in the summer project to gain more career skills and experience. He's saving his earnings for college tuition, because he hopes to study drafting.

"This is a good program for young people, especially those who don't have a lot of work experience," he said.

For Sandra Quintana, participating in the project was an opportunity to try something new. The 17-year-old said she has worked for Little Caesar's, but wanted to get out and do something different for the summer. This summer Quintana has gained new skills and helped to provide play space for local children.

"It's a win-win for our community," said Orta.

Orta, who has been instructing youths in summer projects for seven years, said the program makes it easy for participants to transition to construction-related study or trades.

"They could just walk in," he said.