By Kathy Lefler/Communications and Marketing Manager
Construction is underway on this year’s Women Build home, thanks to the efforts of two dozen teen girls. These amazing girls, aged 14-18 are attending MAGIC Camp (Mentoring a Girl in Construction). This is a hands-on learning camp where participants are exposed to a variety of trades so they can develop skills and gain greater self-confidence.
During the week they’ve learned about firefighting, drywalling, cement, and even toured the airport! On June 20 they framed walls for this year’s Women Build home. Wichita Habitat for Humanity set up this hands-on experience at WSU Tech Center for this portion of MAGIC Camp. It was wonderful to see the girls walk in, wearing their pink hard hats and t-shirts. They quickly gathered to learn about their work as Wichita Habitat Construction Staff Dana Korkki and Brian Knolla and AmeriCorps Construction Crew Leader Alex Surbaugh outlined their duties, showed them to their tools and divided them into groups.
Jazelle Thomas, one of the adult leaders with the camp, said this is a great way for the teens to learn about the careers that are available to them. She pointed out that we can do a better job of choosing the right career if we are aware of all the choices we have. MAGIC camp helps make this happen.
Habitat’s Women Build program is about empowering women in a field they might not often get to experience. It’s also an opportunity to collaborate and help a family as they work to become a homeowner. That’s what happened during MAGIC camp! The girls worked together in teams, hammering and laughing together. Wichita Habitat staff explained each task. When a wall was completed, it was loaded onto our trailer. The walls will be transported to our warehouse and stored until July.
I hope to see some of these teens join us when construction starts on July 17 at the Women Build home. This year’s homebuyer is Desiree who is looking forward to providing her son with a stable, affordable home. If you’d like to volunteer, you can register at
https://wichitahabitat.org/volunteer/ Volunteers must be 16 or older.