I visited this unique school in 2019 and found it quite intriguing simply because they are a “hands on” school dedicated to the further education of construction in all forms.
PFS Corporation
Viking Carrier
Mariotti Building ProductsHere is their message from Britton Rogers, the Executive Director of the Yestermorrow School:
The view from our campus in the Mad River Valley looks like any other year. The days are getting shorter, the vivid reds and golds are fading, and the water at the swimming holes is much colder. But this is not like any other year. While we are optimistic and this year had successes, more than ever, we need the support of our community to continue our mission. If you are able, please make a financial contribution to support Yestermorrow Design/Build School.
WE ARE SURVIVING:
Now they need our help. COVID-19 has tough on schools at every level and Yestermorrow is no exception. Please join me in helping this Vermont school continue to be a viable part of the construction industry.
In a typical year, we would have just wrapped up our busiest season. While the sound of hammers did echo around our campus this summer, Yestermorrow was quieter than usual. We held a fraction of our typical summer offerings. The campus opened mid-summer to a shortened season with limited classes to follow state health guidelines. Our highest priority was to keep students, staff, instructors, and the community safe. Despite the closure in spring and the slow summer, we are proud that we kept our staff employed, and we have carefully, cautiously reopened in a reduced capacity.
WE ARE ADAPTING:
During the challenging period without students on campus (and the revenue they provide) we did what we do best: we got creative. We offered a selection of important and timely courses online such as Sketch-Up and Tiny House Design, and we developed new, online offerings such as “How to Site Buildings”, so our students and instructors could participate from home. We ran our popular Spring Speaker Series virtually, with great attendance. For the summer, we installed a large tent on the lawn so that our instructors and students could maintain safe distances in an outdoor drafting studio. Our summer classes were well attended by students grateful for hands-on experiences.
This season is off to a good start with a successful Fall Speaker Series, featuring diverse speakers who redesign and rebuild communities, structures, and systems for people and the Planet. Our UMass Semester program is full of energetic students who are happy to be enrolled in-person, with the construction of their project well underway: a small, modular, net-zero apartment and workshop. In the office, our staff is busy applying for grants to help offset lost income, developing new online and in-person programs, and planning for next year. Outside, a crew is working tirelessly to complete the new Dorm started by Semester program students last fall.
WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT:
We’re looking to you, our community, to help us during these challenging times. Though we lost substantial revenue from our campus closure this spring, we continued to teach design/build, and most importantly kept our staff and interns employed, and healthy. Now we need your support to make sure we can continue to offer accessible, hands-on education. Please donate today!
You may choose to donate to the Annual Fund, General Scholarship Fund, Dorm Fund, or the New BIPOC Scholarship fund. Other ways to help us: buy a gift certificate for a future class, a 40th anniversary T-Shirt, or our new Cookbook.
Thank you for contributing to, and investing in, the School’s mission, and our future.
Sincerely,
Britton Rogers
Executive Director
Yestermorrow Design/Build School is a 501(c)3 non-profit.
Your gift may qualify as a charitable deduction for federal income tax purposes.
Thank you for your support!
