Youth are using construction skills learned at a Red Deer Polytechnic (RDP) summer camp to help fight food insecurity.
Held July 7–11 at RDP’s main campus, the Building Skills for Tomorrow camp welcomed 11 participants aged 12 to 18 for a hands-on carpentry project with a lasting community impact.
Campers built potato planter boxes—each measuring four feet by two feet by two feet—for donation to the Red Deer Food Bank, combining practical learning with community service.
“I was excited to be part of this camp,” said David Flynn, RDP carpenter instructor and camp lead. “It had an element of philanthropy while touching on renewable food sources and providing an introduction to carpentry. With Alberta experiencing a shortage of skilled trades workers, hopefully this camp helps to entice the younger generation to pursue a career in the skilled trades.”
Beyond their community contributions, campers also gained real-world skills. They learned to safely use hand and power tools, work as a team, and solve construction challenges.
“The participants learned about design, scaling size and how to safely use a variety of tools, including a mitre saw, table saw, router, drill and hand tools,” said Flynn.
“Some campers were really skilled at carpentry,” he added. “Hopefully there are some future RDP apprentices among the group.”
While the large planter boxes were donated to the food bank, each participant also built a smaller planter box to take home—a reminder of their skills and their contribution to the community.
For more information on RDP’s summer camps, visit the website.
** With information from Red Deer Polytechnic.
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