As a tween I was certainly not impressive, unless you consider the ability to consume an entire bag of microwavable popcorn enviable. (Even as an adult, no one seems to find this a charming skill.) It's so nice to see today's generation of young (well, younger than us at least) people learn viable trade skills in some circles. Washington State girl Hailey Fort is totally rocking that trend—hard. This 9-year-old girl builds houses for homeless people almost entirely by herself.
Hailey met a local homeless man, Edward, in their shared hometown of Bremerton. The two became unlikely friends, at which point Hailey decided she wanted to do whatever she could to help out. Currently Hailey, along with an occasional hand from her mother (there are saws involved, and clearly this child is not insane), is building her friend Edward a mobile sleeping shelter. She says it's to help "protect him from all the bad weather," and by the looks of it, her work is legit. It's not like Hailey used glitter glue and macaroni to erect some half-assed, ultimately doomed structure. She is using freaking power tools with serious finesse.
Hailey even got as thorough as insulating the structure and lining it with tar paper to prevent major temperature drops and screaming winds. See her tiny (but so impressive) tour below:
It kinda sucks typical school curriculum no longer involves learned, practical skills like "shop class" and "home ec." You know how beneficial learning to fix a toilet would have been to my adult life? Much more than being able to point out scientific wrongs in Jaws, which is something my school prioritized in its offering of marine bio over...would that class on fixing a toilet be called Adult Survival 101? Anyway. It's nice to see a bolstered interest in getting younger folks outfitted with skill sets that are actually helpful later on into adulthood, as Hailey proves, clearly.
Since no one asked me but I have ideas I feel compelled to share anyway, here are some skills I wish I learned in school as a youth to be a better functioning adult (educators, please take note—I am available for guest speaking opportunities):
Learning basic toilet fixes
I'm not talking anything too complex here. (Although if there's interest, go for it. Plumbers make a decent living.) I mean the little tricks of jiggling bits in the tank to help it flush when it needs a push (or you're staying with a friend and you really, super need to make sure this flushes successfully so you don't have to face the shame of their hot roommate catching wind of...what you were up to in there). Or the whole thing about water conservation and keeping glass or water bottles in the toilet tank. Also: Plungers.
How to get a deodorant mark off dark clothing while out
Nothing like arriving to a job interview to note a wild scar of Secret raging across your navy pencil skirt. First concern: How? Second concern: GET THIS OFF. Actually creating a fold in the affected fabric and rubbing will remove this mark. It's incredible and should be taught in schools before anyone starts talking about Jaws as serious academia.
To carry granola bars at most times
Seems silly, but hanger is real.
Let's get this educational revolution rolling, y'all.
