A group of women rolled up their sleeves and built birdhouses with children at the Philadelphia Performing Arts School at 2407 S. Broad St.
Author Mollie Elkman, who wrote the book “The House That She Built,” led a hands-on inspirational program on Friday, showing young girls their potential in careers in construction.
The Innovations in Science class helped 26 first-grade students to construct bird houses with illustrator Georgia Castellano and members of the Professional Women in Building Council of the Philadelphia Region.
Each science lab table of students worked with either an architect, a general contractor, an excavator, a framer/roofer, a plumber or a painter/interior designer to help the students construct and decorate their own bird house.
“We are honored that Mollie selected our school to demonstrate women in the building field showing our students what possibilities exist in STEAM and construction careers,” said January Teti, assistant principal of Philadelphia Performing Arts, A String Theory Charter School. “The House That She Built is empowering, encouraging, informative and inspiring. Every child needs a book like this on their shelf that says, ‘You can do anything you set your mind to.’ ’’
