On the Green Chimneys website it says “so much to offer our community friends.” Well, Brewster High School Career and Technical Education students are paying forward the good will.
Green Chimneys is a nonprofit helping young people by providing residential, educational, clinical and recreational services in a safe and supportive environment that nurtures connections with family, community animals and nature. So, what better way to give back than make much needed animal shelters for some of the animals at the farm?
With a $700 grant he received from the Brewer Educational Foundation, high school carpentry teacher Glenn Palmieri bought wood and supplies for his carpentry students to make animal houses for the ducks and rabbits at the farm.
Students worked in groups to plan, design, cut and build duck lean-tos and rabbit hutches.
“Cutting the wood was my main role in the project,” said freshman Liam McKenney, “I really like the idea that these will be used for animals. We are giving them a place to live and will last for years. Green Chimneys is a wonderful and local place that does a lot for students.”
The carpentry program is new and improved at BHS this year. There are 3 sections, each one filled to capacity.
My goal for our program is to keep it growing and show students how much good they can do by working with their hands,” said Palmieri, “Patience and persistence leads to incredible projects, skills, increased problem solving, and teamwork.”
Although he stopped short of recommending carpentry to everyone, Palmieri said the field has much to offer to motivated people who love working with their hands.
“There are so many avenues in the construction trades that there could be something for everyone,” he said. “Project managers, framers, finishers, cabinetmakers, furniture makers, foremen. These are jobs that will never be taken by AI and need good people with a passion for building.”
The Green Chimneys project came out of Palmieri’s experience as an Eagle Scout.
“I wanted to do a project for the community because I felt it was important to not just teach students how to build a project, but how to build and give back. Instead of building with materials that will be tossed out, build with a purpose.”
How do the folks at Green Chimneys feel?
“We have been in the process of updating our outdoor rabbit enclosure and this new outdoor hutch will be a great addition! It will give them a new place to explore, which is excellent enrichment for them. Having collaboration from the community to build these houses for our animals has been really wonderful!” said Danielle Zalewski, Livestock Program Manager.
The hutches, which will be delivered by students at the end of the month, come at the perfect time–as the days get warmer and the animals are springing into action on the farm.
