SEATech Students Win Creativity Award

WAITSBURG – Waitsburg High School junior Chris Philbrook enrolled in the Walla Walla Southeast Area Technical Skills Center's (SEATech) construction technology program because he wanted to take advantage of a hands-on learning opportunity. The school year has provided him with plenty of practical construction experience as well as the unexpected opportunity to be part of an award-winning team in a micro house-building contest.

SEATech students received the "Most Unique" award in the statewide "Showcase of Skills Homeless Shelter Project" competition in Olympia on March 27. Twenty schools participated in the competition to design and build a micro home that met a set of stringent requirements.

The SEATech team, led by teacher Eric Matson, got creative with their design by incorporating an arched roof and painted ceiling. Philbrook said the class was given a basic 12'X8' blueprint and a $3,000 budget, but had some leeway in design. The class decided that changing the roof structure and adding a mural to the ceiling would make them stand out from the crowd and would be something that other teams wouldn't think of.

Philbrook said that Walla Walla artist Brad Rude came in and gave tips and pointers to the class members who did the painting. He said the students searched Google images for inspiration to find a design that would work well with the curved roof before settling on a "swirling" sky and landscape image.

Morning and afternoon SEATech classes built the shelter, which was later taken apart and transported in sections to Olympia. Philbrook was selected as part of the team that reassembled the house on the capitol lawn for the contest. Other students were delegated to meet with visitors and show their home at the contest.

Philbrook said the construction technology program has definitely increased his skill set. He also said he and his teammates were surprised by the number of homeless people they saw on the streets in Olympia, and he felt really good about the project, especially since the homes are being donated to a homeless neighborhood in Seattle.

"I learned a lot about the basic structure of houses. The experience was really cool, especially with senators and government officials looking at the homes. I felt really good about what I was doing there – being able to help get the homeless off the street," Philbrook said.

The SEATech team received a plaque and a $1,000 award from the Home Depot Foundation.