This year, two new playhouses were created for children attending South’s Titan Tot Preschool, bringing countless days of laughter, smiles, and memories, senior Michael Westfall said. The playhouses were handbuilt as a service project, fostering entertainment and imaginative play for the Titan Tots and included a door, several windows, a mailbox, and a kitchen for each house, he said.

The idea to update the Titan Tot playground came from Dawn Hall, Career and Technical Education Department Instructional Supervisor. Steve Silca, Career and Technical Education teacher, worked with Hall to manage the project. Westfall was chosen for this project because he had a developed skill set in woodworking and a dedicated attitude, Silca said.

“The process involved carefully following assembly instructions and diagrams,” Silca said. “Michael is a Woods IV student and a lab assistant in the Titan Woodshop. He has been in the woodworking program for all four years of high school, so I knew that he had the skill set to complete this service project.”

Building the playhouses took three weeks to ensure that all safety criteria was met, Silca said. The kits were bought from a respected and established company. Because of all the time and effort that went into making them, Silca said that Titan Tots children and parents alike can feel at ease knowing that the playhouses are both fun and secure. The children’s satisfaction in Westfall’s work is also evident as they visit the playground often, Silca explained.

“During the first two months of school, I saw the Titan Tots walking down the hallway and out of the building to enjoy the playhouses daily,” Silca said.

Westfall was very encouraged by the Titan Tots’ positive reaction to his work. Seeing the children cherish their time in the updated playground has brought him joy, he explained. Additionally, seeing other people become happier because of Westfall’s act of service has inspired him to continue efforts to aid others in the future.

“The kids have really enjoyed the playset and have been very appreciative of it,” Westfall said. “I don’t anticipate doing something exactly like this in the future, but I plan to continue to help others.”