Tiny-house idea big help for teens

BENTONVILLE -- Some Lincoln Junior High School students applied what they learned in math class to a project that benefited three community organizations.

The students built five small structures in the shape of houses. They donated two to the Bella Vista Animal Shelter to be used as dog houses. The other three were donated to the Northwest Arkansas Children's Shelter and the Bentonville Public Library as "reading houses," giving children a cozy place to curl up with a book.

The houses, each about 4 feet high and 3 feet wide, were given away two weeks ago. The project was a team effort of about 60 eighth-graders.

"They had to write equations. They had to find intersection points in the roof line," said Jayna Moffit, an eighth-grade math teacher. "They had to use a lot of the things they are learning in class."

The students involved are part of Moffit's math lab course that gives students who are struggling with math some extra help.

"I definitely have seen an increase in their drive to do well," Moffit said. "The project kind of answers the age-old question of how will I use this in the real world."

Kayla Green, 13, is one of the students who was most involved in the project. She said she hadn't realized how much math is involved in construction.

Katelyn Pitts, 13, got more out of it than just a math lesson.

"I learned how to work with other people, communicate with other people and work hard to achieve a goal," Katelyn said.

"It was probably the best time I've had in math in all my years," added Tony Woodward, 15.

Materials for the houses cost about $700. Students raised some of the money through a bake sale.

The reading house given to the public library sits in the children's department. Sue Ann Pekel, children's librarian, called it a "sturdy and beautiful piece" that has become a popular destination for the library's patrons.

"As soon as the reading house arrived, one curious child crawled right in and curled up with a book," Pekel said. "Since then, the cozy house has rarely had an empty moment."

Despite the work involved, the students were motivated, said Devin Gierach, 13.

"You knew you were doing something good, and you wanted it to be perfect," Devin said.

Metro on 03/09/2015

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