Students blend trades and compassion at Elevate Academy East

When Elevate Academy East construction instructor John Kramer dreamed up a community project for his ninth graders, he didn't want it to be another shop class assignment. He shared the idea with the ninth-grade teaching team, which includes construction, culinary arts, English language arts, government and math. Together they turned it into Give a Dog a Home and Pasta for Paws-a two-part community event blending construction, culinary arts and compassion.

"Originally, it was just going to be the doghouses," said Kramer. "But then we thought, why not go bigger? Why not bring culinary in and make it something that brings the whole community together?"

So they did. Kramer's construction students partnered with the Snake River Animal Shelter, where each student "adopted" a shelter dog for inspiration. The teens visited the shelter, learned about the personalities of their chosen dogs and designed 16 custom doghouses to fit each breed's size and temperament.

"They had to research architecture styles, draft their plans and then build to fit the dog," said Kramer. "It was real-world problem-solving at every step."

These doghouses were then given away to adopters at the Give a Dog a Home shelter adoption event that the students sponsored along with the Snake River Animal Shelter.

Meanwhile, the school's culinary students whipped up another kind of creativity. They baked gourmet dog treats for the shelter and planned an Italian-themed fundraising dinner complete with student-developed recipes for lasagna, tiramisu and other classics.

"They even had a little competition," said Kramer. "The best dishes were chosen for the final menu."

"We don't want to repeat ourselves, but the goal is always the same: Teach them to build something that matters."

The culminating event-Pasta for Paws-sold out. More than a hundred guests filled the cafeteria for the $20-a-plate charity dinner, where students presented their work, shared what they'd learned and auctioned off the top three doghouses. Faculty, community donors and even a few families who adopted shelter dogs attended.

"The kids got up and talked about their challenges, what they'd learned and what they'd do differently next time," said Kramer. "Seeing them take pride in their work like that was incredible."

The event raised funds for both the shelter and the school's hands-on programs, helping replenish supplies and support future projects. But the biggest impact was educational. Elevate Academy's model blends CTE instruction-construction, culinary, cybersecurity, medical arts, business, public safety and machining-with core academics. Students didn't just build and cook; they researched dog care, designed shelter pamphlets, studied architecture, applied math and drafting skills and developed and presented recipes.

"We want them to see how everything connects," he said. "English isn't just essays; it's how you communicate with a client."

The success of Give a Dog a Home and Pasta for Paws even earned Elevate Academy East Project of the Year honors across the Elevate network of schools statewide. The Snake River Animal Shelter has already asked to partner again.

"They were hesitant at first," said Kramer. "But once they saw what the kids could do, they were blown away."

Next year, Kramer says the project will change but the spirit will stay the same.