RPA students selling tiny house to fund service trip to Mexico
Redmond Proficiency Academy high school students built a tiny house as part of RPA’s unique June Term experience, and it is now for sale.
Interested buyers can access the bidding site by clicking on the “Tiny House” link on their website at rpacademy.org. Bidding ends at 2pm on Monday, November 6th.
This 20′ Hikari Box model is built on an Iron Eagle dual-axle trailer specifically designed for tiny houses. The house measures 7’9″x20′ with 140 square feet downstairs and 70 square feet in the sleeping loft. The exterior is finished, and the interior is ready for your final touches.
The sale of the tiny house will fund the RPA Spring Service Trip to Mexico this coming spring break, in which RPA students plan to build a house for a family in the border community of San Luis de Rio Colorado, Mexico. This unique opportunity also allows students to practice their Spanish language skills and to experience another culture.
This will be the second trip RPA students make to build homes in Mexico, and it will be the first funded by building a tiny house. RPA’s previous trip to Mexico was in March of 2016.
The tiny house was constructed during June Term, an intensive three-week term designed to enhance and enrich student learning. This opportunity is similar to a university-style intersession that allows for students to engage in intensive academic courses designed to extend their learning. For this project, students enrolled in the interest based course, “Let’s Build a Tiny House.”
“This has been a great experience for the students,” said Spanish teacher and tiny house course instructor Troy Longstroth. “They learned about carpentry and construction, but they also have the gratification of knowing that the proceeds from this project will help a family in need in Mexico. It’s a win-win.”
This is not the first time RPA students have studied tiny houses. Science teacher Amy Mitchell teaches a January Term class called “Tiny House Design” as part of the school’s science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) course offerings. Her students research, plan, design, and build proportional models of a tiny house that meets building construction, environmental, and aesthetic criteria.
RPA would like to thank our many community partners who donated time and discounted materials to help the project come together. These businesses include Shelter Wise Tiny Homes, Tongue and Groove Tiny Homes, Consolidated Supply, Takagi, Lowes, Denfeld Paints, Hayden Homes, the Local 271 NW Carpenters Union, and Ridgeline Metal.
If you are interested in purchasing the tiny house or would like more information, contact Sandy Cloud at 541.526.0882 or by email at sandy_cloud@rpacademy.org.
About Redmond Proficiency Academy
The Redmond Proficiency Academy (RPA) is a public charter school operating in the Redmond School District. In its ninth year of operation, RPA serves nearly 900 students in grades 6-12 from throughout Central Oregon. Using a proficiency-based instructional methodology in a personalized learning environment, RPA strives to prepare all students for success in college and in life.
