Students enrolled in the Looking Glass Riverfront School Skilled Trades Program recently completed construction of a Tiny House on behalf of SquareOne Villages. The house is now part of SquareOne’s Opportunity Village.
SquareOne provided the materials through donations and grants and students in Riverfront’s Skilled Trades Program constructed the house in just a little over four months.
“This program is really unique,” explained Cheryl Zwillinger, Program Director. “Students enrolled in an alternative high school often lack access to Career-Technical Education opportunities which allow them to gain technical expertise and transferable work skills providing a pathway to higher-paying, in-demand jobs. So, we are very proud to be able to provide this hands on opportunity.”
Looking Glass Riverfront School began the Skilled Trades program in 2021, with funding from Youth Development Oregon. Additional funding to support the program has come from U.S. Bank Foundation and private donations. Students learn the basics of construction and carpentry, earn school credit and points needed for apprenticeship applications, and weekly stipends.
From left: Riverfront students Vyren Johnson and Keian Ridgeway, Riverfront Skilled Trades Program Manager Michael Romano, SquareOne Villages Community Relations Director Amanda Dellinger, and Looking Glass CEO and President Craig Opperman are all on site for the tiny house unveiling on November 15, 2023.
Vyren Johnson, a student in the skilled trades program, spoke about the impact their participation has had beyond learning new skills.
“I have lived in alternative housing so being able to contribute to that as like knowing how it feels to be looking for a home just is absolutely amazing and it makes me very happy,” Johnson said. “I’m very happy that I was able to help somebody out.”
SquareOne Villages seeks to bridge the often-insurmountable gap between the street and conventional housing with a variety of stable, dignified, and cost-effective shelter and housing options. "Being here has taught me self-reliance and sisterhood. Things I lost along the way,” explains Delanya, a current Opportunity Village resident. Over 300 people, who were otherwise homeless, received support and shelter in SquareOne's Shelter Program since inception in 2013.
Amanda Dellinger, community relations director for SquareOne Villages, said the coalescence of the two entities helped students gain necessary building skills while saving SquareOne on the costs of labor for constructing new sleeping spaces.
Front page of The Register-Guard from Nov 16, 2023 with Looking Glass article prominently featured.
Keian Ridgeway, a Looking Glass student, said the project was a fulfilling experience.
"It's very rewarding, I would say,” Ridgeway said. “Because you're right, when it started it was pretty much just a pile of lumber and we built this whole thing with our bare hands. Like, instructions were there, but we really had to take our own liberties sometimes because everything wasn't clear. It was-- it was a lot, but it was worth it. And I'm glad that I could do it, and I'm glad that I can sit here and look at this and be like, 'We did that, that was us.'"
Michael Romano, the Skilled Trades Program’s project manager, said he’s excited to see the positive impact of the school’s program on the outside community.
"It's one of those situations where it's good for everyone which is… doesn't usually happen, you know?” Romano said. “But when we all work together and we all put our heads together and try to solve problems, I think that we can have outcomes like this where it helps everyone, you know? They're getting experience, they're getting a home, you know I'm getting experience too. We're all coming out in the plus here.”
KEZI9 News and The Register-Guard media outlets covered the tiny house unveiling.
For more information on Looking Glass Riverfront School’s Skilled Trades Program, go here.
