Drive raising funds for refinished workshop floor
POTTSTOWN >> How do you help raise money to refinish a workshop floor at Pottstown High School? With popsicles of course — and a little help from the Foundation for Pottstown Education.
During the last semester of the 2020-21 academic year, the class offered to help construction technology teacher Stephen Siever clean and organize the workspace in the Pottstown High School woodworking classroom.
He turned this project into a learning experience. During one session, he taught the student about painting, using the correct paint and paintbrushes while they updated the garage door in the room.
Once the cleanup was completed, the students noticed the floor was in bad shape and needed updating. Sievers contacted Chris Mest, a 2007 Pottstown High School construction technology graduate. Mest now owns Royal Concrete Services and demonstrated how his company preps, repairs, and then installs epoxy floors with a high urethane topcoat.
The students were so pleased with the small part of the floor on which he demonstrated, they asked him what the cost would be to complete the entire floor. Mest agreed to do the work for the material cost to him, donating his labor. He also agreed to allow the students to assist with the project giving them hands-on experience in the concrete flooring process.
The students discussed fundraisers they could hold to pay for the necessary repairs and upgrades. Senior Anthony Pinos-Castillo came up with the idea of selling popsicles at Memorial Park during the hot summer weather. He raised more than $600, a great start but a long way from the more than $8,000 that it would take to have the work done.
Pinos-Castillo then contacted the Foundation for Pottstown Education to see how the money could be raised. While speaking with the Foundation Director, Joe Rusiewicz, they agreed to write a solicitation letter to potential donors to explain the need for the project and raise the funds to have it completed.
“This is a case of education going full circle,” Rusiewicz said.
“Chris Mest learned construction during his years at Pottstown and returned to share his knowledge with the current students. Anthony on the other hand is a prime example of our outstanding Pottstown students once again making us Pottstown Proud. They never allow the lack of funds to get them down, they roll up their sleeves and get to work, even if it means selling popsicles in the middle of a hot summer,” Rusiewicz said.
To help the students with this project, tax-deductible donations can be made to the Foundation for Pottstown Education either by mailing a check to 230 Beech Street Pottstown, PA 19464 or going to the Foundation's website to donate online. Please mark Construction Room Floor in the memo line of the check or in the notes area of the online form.
About FPE: The mission of the Foundation for Pottstown Education is to raise funds for and support life-changing educational opportunities for the students and teachers in the Pottstown School District promoting the enhancement of our community.
Visit www.foundationpottstowned.org for more information about the Foundation for Pottstown Education. You can also follow FPE on Facebook and Twitter.