Collegiate Challenge: Week 3

For Week 3 of Collegiate Challenge, we were joined by groups from Siena College (which is outside of Albany) and NYU. Both teams made the long journey from New York and were happy to escape the cold weather and snow for a few days.

Each morning is started by an ice breaker. A new one was added this week: If you could pick a shoe that would best describe you, what would it be? The winning answer of the week was flip-flop and the week turned out to have the perfect weather for flip-flops!

Small, but important projects were completed at 660 Kent Street. The windows were installed, the exterior frame was put up around the windows, the sheathing of the roof was continued, the front trusses were completed, and the sub fascia continued.  A lot of framing was also completed on the Net Zero Energy House.

It was another successful week. The college groups continue to bring energy and enthusiasm to the jobsite.

Next week we will be joined by St. Olaf College and Centre College! Only two weeks left of Collegiate Challenge!

My Crew :)

Siena College

The Entire Group....Look at those Muscles!

Collegiate Challenge: Week 2

This week we were joined by 40 students from Georgetown University, Wake Forest University, and The College of William and Mary.  I was apprehensive going into this week, because I knew it would be challenge to keep 40 students busy at all times. But, when we circled up bright and early on Monday morning, I knew this would be a good week.  Laughter was flowing from the start and the groups seemed to get along great. We started Monday with an ice breaker courtesy of Georgetown. Everyone had to stand in a circle say “Yee-Haw” and pass it to your neighbor (I guess you had to be there). It was definitely a great way to break the ice.

A lot was accomplished this week. At 660 Kent Street, the sheathing was finished, blue board and tyvek paper was put up, the trusses were finished, most of the roof was put on, the lattice was put up, and the porch was started.  

The week started with “Yee-Haws” and ended with a generous donation of cupcakes from Cupcake on Long Point Road. It was a great week in my book!

Next week we will be joined by students from NYU and Siena College!

Nailing of the sheathing

Working on Lattice

Charlie and his porch crew

Putting the first sheet on the roof

Installing the Front Trusses

The Beginning of the Tyvek Paper

Georgetown

Wake Forest

William and Mary

The Entire Group from the week

Last Saturday, March 5, we were joined by a group from the Citadel along with members of local churches for our monthly Apostle's Build. We were able to install most of the trusses. With the addition of these trusses, it's starting to look like a house!

The Citadel Group



Collegiate Challenge: Northeastern University

This week marked the beginning of Collegiate Challenge. We will have nine colleges and universities joining throughout the month of March for their Spring Breaks. So, March should be a very productive month!

 Six students from Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts made the 18 hour drive to join us for the week. There were five girls and one guy. Juan, the only guy, likes to refer to the girls as his moms. Needless to say, the group kept us laughing. Not only were they tons of fun, but they were very productive. They framed all of the exterior and interior walls of the house and began to sheath it in OSB.  Everyone was surprised at how good they got at hammering over the course of the week.  We hope to see Northeastern again next year!

Here are some pictures that capture our week:

Allison and the two handed hammer swing :)

The first wall is now in place!

Raising the second wall

End of Day 1: Two Exterior walls are up

Interior Walls

End of Day 2: All Interior walls have been installed

End of Day 3: All of the wall are now up!

End of Day 4: The sheathing has begun