Barden Building Systems rang in the new year by announcing two international shipments to open up 2008. Barden will be sending a material package north into Canada as well as a package across the Atlantic Ocean to Germany. This will mark the first overseas shipment by Barden Building Systems. Materials are scheduled to ship in mid January.
Barden Building Systems recently shipped two new homes as part of the company's inaugural project with Project REBUILD Community High School in Canton, Ohio.
Project REBUILD, which opened in 2004, is an Ohio Department of Education-certified, vocational high school that teaches students construction skills through in-class learning and hands-on construction.
Students are at-risk youths who come from inner-city environments of poverty, crime and, in some cases, abuse and/or gang-related violence. Because the students have not been successful in traditional school settings, the Project REBUILD program includes education, employment skills training, social services, peer support, leadership development, life skills education and GED classes. The program includes a rotation of classroom training and on-the-job training for which they receive $8/hour
In 2006, Project Manager A.J. Myers met Barden Regional Manager, Mike Boylan and learned about Barden's panelized construction system which is particularly advantageous for Project REBUILD. In 2007, Project REBUILD officially became a Barden Independent Dealer.
"Barden's model fits our program perfectly. First, the quality of construction is superior. Also, because construction time is much quicker, my supervisors and I get to spend more time teaching, and the students get to participate in more projects than they would using conventional stick-built construction," Myers said.
Barden Building Systems supports Project REBUILD by providing all-expense-paid training for students in Barden's Tully (New York) factory, plus specialized training manuals, materials and company clothing. Barden gives some leeway in crane time to allow for sufficient on-the-job training. Barden also provides extra administrative support through Boylan.
Project REBUILD'S plans include building an exact replica of the Barden plant outside Canton (Ohio), which will serve as classroom and office spaces. The project will be funded by the State of Ohio. The school is sponsored by the Ohio Council of Community Schools and funded, in part, by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
This story was featured in the Buffalo News on December 15, 2007