By Mat Cloak
The Parsons Advocate
Students of the carpentry program at the Kenneth Honey Rubenstein Juvenile Center recently completed a pavilion at Tucker Valley Elementary Middle School.
The PTO paid for the pavilion. “We wanted a pavilion for the kids to do some outdoor classroom activities, sporting events, P.E. events, and teacher meetings,” Assistant Principal Steelie Kisamore said.
The pavilion is located in the courtyard between the middle and elementary school buildings. The pavilion is 16 by 24 feet. The school is also installing a high tunnel greenhouse. The greenhouse will be completed next week after students at the Rubenstein Center install plastic covering.
The carpentry program is one of three career and technical programs at the center. Travis Hamrick heads the carpentry program. Hamrick learned his carpentry skills from Tucker Valley High School. He has led this program for 14 years.
“The point of the program is for students to get an idea of the workforce, so that when they leave, they have skills,” Hamrick said. The carpentry program offers two certifications, “Introduction to Carpentry” and “Carpentry 1.” Hamrick runs the program like a regular class. Approximately 20 students are currently enrolled.
“The students are glad to get out in the community and help,” Hamrick said. Some students go on to use these skills outside of Rubenstein. “I have students call me back and thank me,” Hamrick said.
According to JR Helmick, principal of the Rubenstein Center, the center is run like a small, comprehensive high school. Most young men stay at the center for six months. Throughout their time at the Rubenstein Center, transitional specialists are consistently working with each individual to integrate them back into their home community. “We try to help them transition back to their county schools from day one,” Helmick said.
In addition to the pavilion at TVEMS, students recently built a bench for the Parsons City Council, picnic tables for local parks, and the “Grateful For…” sign in Thomas.
