By Deb Keithley
C-H reporter

MACON - A transformation took place at the Macon Family Literacy Center last week. Hammering and student’s chattering resounded upstairs and down at the center located at 204 Crescent Drive in Macon.
“It’s like a bee hive around here,” said Sandy Sunderland, director of the Literacy Center.
The flurry of activity is the result of a $10,000 Lowe’s Charitable and Educational Foundation Grant that was awarded to Macon Area Vocational Technical School for the renovations at the center.
Members of  the Macon SkillsUSA group made the application for the grant.
Devron Sternke is the Macon SkillsUSA advisor and graphic arts instructor. According to Sternke, he found out about the availability of the Lowe’s grants while attending a national SkillsUSA leadership conference in Kansas City.
“During the last few years our local SkillsUSA chapter has worked in conjunction with FFA, FBLA, FCCLA and downtown business groups to improve downtown Macon,” said Sternke. “We wanted to continue the tradition and set out to find a project that would make an impact on our community.”
Stacey Blodgett, Adult Education director approached us about working on the Family Literacy Center. Blodgett, building trades instructor Doyle Cook and Sternke began work on the application which required letters from local leaders, a description of the project, a detailed budget, a publicity plan, and letters from  students.
The completed 30-page application was sent at the end of November. The group was notified in December that they were a finalist and was awarded the grant the second week of February.
“We were one of only 19 schools in the country to receive this grant and only two were awarded in Missouri,” said Sternke.
According to Sternke, others at the Vo-tech instrumental in assembling the grant were Eric Riddles, David Cheever, Lynn Reid, Marge Stow, Buffy Tipton, Jan VanSickle and Scott Bachus.
“We were told that our’s was one of the best grant applications the Lowe’s company saw this year,” said Sternke.
SkillsUSA is a national  organization that helps high school and college students enrolled in career and technical education programs to excel by teaching employability skills such as communication, problem solving and leadership in conjunction with their trade.
Sunderland agrees with the organization’s goals. “These kids are learning a lot while working on the renovations,” she said. “These are life skills that they will never forget.”
Approximately 30 students worked in two shifts, Monday through Friday last week to complete the list of tasks. The group was under the supervision of Cook. The student workers were enrolled in the three-hour block classes of building trades or graphic arts. They  worked during their usual block class time, no other class time was used.
“We worked in two different groups from 8:30 to 11 a.m. in the morning and 12:30 to 3 p.m. in the afternoon,” said Skills USA officer Sarah Stark.
The list of accomplishments completed in one short week is a long one.
The daycare and preschool area in the lower level was closed for a week to allow the crew to work.
The students painted the large daycare room a bright, lime green.
“We wanted to liven the room up with a bright color,” said another officer Katlyn Hays. “We also painted the nursery room blue.”
Fellow officer Josh Myers quipped, “The color green is supposed to make you smarter.”
Joining Stark, Hays and Myers as SkillsUSA officers are Olivia Halley and Tyler Mason.
In addition to the fresh coat of paint, new light fixtures were installed and shelving that was built by the students and painted by the auto tech class containing “cubbies” for each daycare was placed along a wall.
“The graphic arts class is placing a stick-on tree mural on one wall for decoration,” said Hays.
Another transformation  took place in the kitchen.
“We installed new countertops, a new stove and exhaust fan in the kitchen,” said Cook.
The kitchen cabinets were also painted.
Bathrooms have been painted and new lighting, vanities and exhausts fans installed.
“The kids working here are very responsible,” said Sunderland. “They took the work seriously and have stuck to the tasks.”
One of the larger undertakings was the replacement of all the windows in the building with new energy efficient versions.
“The new windows will make a big difference on energy costs.” said Sunderland. “The existing windows were so old they fell apart when they were removed.”
Some of the exterior doors have also been replaced and outdoor lighting installed.
The final part of the list will be completed when the weather is better. “We are going to work on the handicapped ramp and make it more usable when it is warmer,” said Cook.
According to Cook, if there is enough money left after the current projects are completed they will do some work on landscaping and to the playground. “We are waiting to see how our finances come out,” he said.
Sunderland and her staff are excited to have the students complete the work. “We are thrilled with the results.” she said.