by harrisonburgarchitect | Sep 23, 2016 | citizen architect
Want to change the future? Mentor those that will be the change.
On the Road Collaborative has kicked off YEAR 2 of the program. This year they welcomed 87 Skyline Middle School youth to their day 1 event. This organization, founded by Brent Holsinger, creates an entire pathway of opportunity and support for young people from middle school through high school graduation. Our connection to On the Road Collaborative began last year. Deborah Smith and I, along with Eastern Mennonite School student Erin Hostetler, took on the challenge of teaching 5th and 6th grade students architectural design.
Over 11 weeks this past Spring we met with the students in the 6th grade computer lab for 1 1/2 hours each week to learn about design. What an incredible opportunity for us to teach young minds that will one day run our city the importance of design. This often overlooked idea, design, impacts every aspect of our lives. Design creates places for conversation in our homes, communities, downtown, and in our places of work. Design impacts our health, energy usage, access to natural light, and the health of our streams. That is a lot to cover in 11 weeks with young minds at the end of their long day. So we called on our friends and had guest speakers join us each week to talk about architecture, building, civil engineering, building science, structural design, building code, and even marketing. Through this 11 week course where the students each designed a house they were also exposed to the broader world of design and how the human mind impacts so many more things through design decisions.
The broader goal will not be realized for many years – to help influence these young leaders to understand the importance of design. Perhaps some will enter into a profession where they will design solutions to reduce our impact on the environment, but all will experience the impacts of design and hopefully realize that we are living what we have designed. The immediate goal, they designed houses that were cool and imaginative, is that they know Deborah, Erin, and I care about them and want them to succeed.
On the Road Collaborative is such a wonderful organization and is giving these students a gift. It is also an organization that is giving this community a gift by opening up possibilities for these students to see the world in a new way. If you want to change the future? Mentor those that will be the change. Support On the Road Collaborative as they empower the next generation.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay3cMEHkyG0]
by harrisonburgarchitect | Jun 28, 2016 | citizen architect
Thinking about the future, I see hope.
As I return to blogging, I am going to take a less technical approach to my writings. I will still include projects we are working on, technical posts, but also just thoughts from an architect trying to figure out life.
I have been thinking a lot about the state of our nation as we move into the next election cycle. I have asked questions about gun control, prayed about gay rights, wondered what my girls will face and what they will be called as strong-willed confident women, and examined my own motives for decision-making. I admit that I don’t have most of the answers, but I can see how broken we are as a nation.
On the other hand, I can see hope all around us. It is local, it is happening, and it is going to make a difference.
That hope rests in those working to respect others. I see it in students working to convert a modular classroom into a zero energy science lab for future students. I see it in
Climate Action Alliance of the Valley working for a better future for generations to come. I see it in
Meg Carpenter as she volunteers time to raise awareness about affordable housing. I see it at
Rotary Club of Rockingham County meetings each week from a room full of people serving their community. I see it in
Matt Findley who gives and gives to kids in our community through
Harrisonburg Soap Box Derby. I see it in
Eastern Mennonite Elementary School allowing students to learn through play, singing, praying, and service. I see hope all around us through people respecting others as equal humans sharing this one planet.
We need to respect others even if they are young, tattooed, wearing a hoodie, a different color, different social class, different in any way. If we respect each other, we will not do things that hurt, cause pain, or tear down others. This is the hope that I am praying for everyday.
I see hope in this video on a better way to help the next generation by letting them help themselves. Might work for marriages as well.
by harrisonburgarchitect | Jun 24, 2016 | citizen architect
Deborah Smith received her Master of Business Administration degree from EMU
Congratulations on your achievement at Eastern Mennonite University. We are very proud you and appreciate your hard work invested to achieve this goal!
Deborah Smith Graduates from Eastern Mennonite University
HARRISONBURG, Va. (June 3, 2016) – Deborah Smith from Harrisonburg was recognized as a member of the 2016 graduating class of Eastern Mennonite University, Harrisonburg, Va.
Smith received a Master of Business Admin.
Eastern Mennonite University is a Christian liberal arts university of about 1,500 students, located in Virginia’s scenic Shenandoah Valley. EMU is guided by the peace principles of Mennonite Church USA, educating students to serve and lead in a global context through cross-cultural study and an interdisciplinary curriculum. Established in 1917, the university offers over 40 undergraduate majors and six graduate programs offering nine master’s degrees. Eastern Mennonite Seminary is part of the university, as is the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding, which helped launch 2011 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Leymah Gbowee. See more at: emu.edu/about.
by harrisonburgarchitect | May 2, 2016 | citizen architect
Canstruction Harrisonburg 2016
Canstruction Harrisonburg 2016 wrapped up earlier in April and it was a huge success. This year’s event included teams from Blue Ridge Architects, 4 teams from the JMU Engineering School, and Valley Engineering. These amazing teams constructed a 8′ tall corn cob, a bridge, a space shuttle, and several buildings from JMU. With their combined efforts this event raised 6,098 pounds of food!
This event is important to our community because it raises awareness of the issues of hunger we have in our community. Factoring in inflation, many families now earn less than they did before the great recession. Finding it challenging to make ends meet, many people have to make tough choices between hunger and paying other bills. The Blue Ridge Area Food Bank serves an average of 118,600 people per month. They also distributed 24.8 million pounds or 20.6 million meals last year.
by harrisonburgarchitect | Apr 30, 2016 | citizen architect
SVBA Home and Garden Show in Review
The 2016 Home and Garden Show is in the books. This year’s event had the most attendance since we have been part of the event. Our booth space featured my “new” 60+ year old drafting desk. The desk was Ray’s Grandfather’s drafting desk. We are going to use it in the new Depot office space.
As the SVBA Home and Garden Show continues to evolve into a larger community event each year. This year Canstruction, the Harrisonburg Homesteading Festival (although weather impacted this event), the non-profit showcase, SPCA Adoption, MTC Auction, and the WHSV Yard Sale all at the same venue.
MTC pavilion at sunrise
WHSV Yard Sale
Some of the SVBA building members were banner sponsors this year.
There is always a wide variety of vendors at the show.
The Friday night VIP party continues to be a huge success.
MTC is a huge part of this event and the auction is a source of funds for scholarships. The school uses this event to showcase their student’s skills. You would be amazed to see how many programs and how excellent these students are in their field of study.
With 5,000 people attending the event this year, the event certainly was popular. However, the SVBA Home and Garden Show committee continues to look for ways to improve. If you have ideas of what the show could evolve into over the coming year, please let me know.
by harrisonburgarchitect | Dec 11, 2015 | citizen architect
Where is the fire in the belly attitude that this country is built on?
As I watched the middle school girls basketball game yesterday, it hit me. From the first quarter on, they looked tired. It must have been a particularly hard day of school. They played well, but there was no fire, no emotion. As I watch sports I see that fire in some college games. There is a fire in the belly attitude with the fans and teams – they want a win and they play hard to get there. When the team does not win, they are deflated, spent, physically tired.
I do not see this in professional athletics. It seems more important to celebrate the individual effort by the individual after every play. So what you made a catch – did it change the game or did it just fill time? This individual celebration in professional athletics seems to have taken over the fire in the belly attitude that makes this country the greatest place in the world to live. I don’t think we have lost it as a country, but is certainly seems we are losing it. It certainly seems that we are focused more on the individual celebration than building a brighter future for everyone.
My father taught me to work hard and to treat every job as if my reputation depended on it. BECAUSE IT DOES. When I started my first job at 12 years old delivering papers, my parents helped me understand how to run a business, but put it on my shoulders to do the work. With every job I have had since I have treated it like my own business and put forth the best effort possible each day. Did I fail to achieve my potential? Many times. However, the failures were used as a learning opportunity, they were not just blown off as if they did not matter. This is the fire in the belly attitude that this country is built on. The true American spirit is hard work, support for each other, pride, and empathy for others. NOT GREED. The fire in the belly attitude is not about making money, it is about making the future better for you AND your family, friends, community, and country.
As I look around my community, I see the drive to be better, the fire in the belly attitude in some great leaders. They are working hard to improve our community. These leaders are are bankers, non-profit CEOs, videographers, administrative executives, web experts, insurance salespeople…. They are the people working to make our community better. They have drive and passion. They don’t stop to celebrate every catch, they take the burden on their shoulders and move this community forward and celebrate winning as a community.
My desire as a father is to pass this fire in the belly attitude on to my children. As an employer, I want to pass it on to my employees. As a community member, I want to pass it on to everyone.
