As Nathan Hampton strolled through rows upon rows of shining Tannenbaums, colorful quilts, and elaborate playhouses at the Festival of Trees, he thought about what it would be like for his construction students at the Canyons Technical Education Center (CTEC) to take part in the annual event.
“I want the kids to be able to give back to the community,” Hampton says, “so this is perfect for that.”
For 54 years now, millions of dollars have been raised at Intermountain Health’s Festival of Trees, benefitting Primary Children’s Hospital. The festival has grown from 60 trees to more than 500 trees along with other items, raising $3.4 million in donations last year alone.
This year, CTEC students took part in, not only designing and constructing playhouses, but also coming up with a business plan and marketing strategy to get sponsors involved. They also decided on the themes and stories to go with the houses.
“Nate came over and said, ‘Do you want to help us?’ I said, absolutely,” says David Smith, CTEC Business Leadership Instructor. “With the new CAPS program, the Center for Advanced Professional Studies, we want these kids to be able to have a good project-based learning experience and help our business kids see what construction management’s all about.”
CTEC students built two playhouses, moving the more than ten-foot structures over to the Mountain America Expo Center the weekend before the Festival of Trees opened. Each playhouse is designed with CTEC students’ family members in mind. The “Cabin of Hope” is designed around the story of one of the student’s brothers who has struggled with depression. “Primary Children’s is where he went for a lot of his recovery,” Smith explains. “He’s now in his 20s and doing well, but it’s because of that relationship he had with Primary Children’s.”
The second playhouse, “Grandpa’s Old Cabin” is in memory of another student’s grandfather who was a donor for Primary Children’s and built their family’s cabin. Smith says the playhouse is one way give back while honoring their family and serves as a reminder of their cabin experiences.
“It’s been a really good and enriching activity,” says Roman Giacoletto, a senior at Hillcrest High. “Working with everyone on a team project has so many benefits. You get to increase all of your social skills and learn to work with other people throughout the difficulties and struggles and growing a closer bond throughout the building process. I just love any chance I get to volunteer and help out and this has been beyond fantastic.”
Alta senior, Maria Dos Santos says projects like these make her excited to pursue a career in business.
“I was not a businessperson at all,” she says, “It wasn’t until I joined FBLA that I got a feel for it. Now I have a passion for business and I’m just glad for the opportunity to be here. Mr. Smith is a wonderful teacher and being a part of his class is just wonderful. It has opened doors to me and opportunities I could never have thought about.”
At past Festivals, the playhouses have sold for thousands of dollars, some as much as $15,000, the proceeds of which then go directly to helping children with medical needs at Primary Children’s Hospital.
