The Alternative School entered the Furniture Trust’s Annual Signature event (The Eco Carpentry Challenge 2017) on 5/4/17 at District Hall in Boston. Businesses engage The Trust for a sustainable solution during renovation and relocation projects to prevent the accumulation of furniture in landfills by connecting reusable products with local schools and non-profits. 

 

Gently used furniture was delivered to the school and students were asked to be creative and use their carpentry skills to transform these materials into new, upcycled products. A total of 9 Massachusetts schools participated in the contest. 

 

The Alternative School team was lead by Mr. James Graham, an Industrial Technology teacher, Ms. Christine Murphy Cross, an Art teacher, and Mr. Aaron Mott, a Music teacher. School Adjustment Counselors, Carrie Phillips and Donna Ritacco, Mary Pat Martella (School Nurse), and Christopher Pappas (Industrial Technology teacher) managed the project along with the school assigned mentor, Alexandra Dupnik of Dyer Brown Architects of Boston. They also were instrumental in helping the students create a Video Rap presentation called “Generation R.” 

 

The Alternative School’s formal presentation and Video Rap of “Generation R,” was viewed by a panel of local Judges (experts) in the construction, carpentry and furniture industry. The students, Alberth Torres Colon, Jean Carlos Alcoba, Victoria Quinones, and Janairis Rivera also presented specific details about our recycling efforts and information on the woodworking program at the school to the judges. Throughout the evening these students also answered questions from local business people about the school, the products they recreated and experience with the project. 

 

At the end of the night, our students were awarded a $250.00 check for “Most Creative Use of Materials”. The Alternative School would like to thank all the students at the Alternative School and particularly Mr. James Graham and Ms. Christine Murphy Cross who worked so hard on this project.