Frenship Memorial High School is wrapping up its inaugural year, and two Career and Technical Education (CTE) classes are establishing a professional connection through collaboration on an end-of-year project. The classes worked together to design, build, and decorate five large dollhouses to be donated to some of the Frenship elementary school pre-k classes.
Morgan McCowen, the MHS Family and Consumer Science Teacher, and Branson McCowen, the MHS Construction Technology Teacher, wanted to facilitate this project to emphasize the real professional collaboration that happens between designers and construction companies.
The interior design students designed the layouts of the dollhouses that were then given to the construction students to build. Once the houses were constructed, they were returned to the interior design students for more customizations. The students painted the exteriors and planned and designed the aesthetics of each room with complete freedom.
Morgan explained that they decided to donate dollhouses to the elementary schools to create a meaningful, hands-on learning opportunity for the younger students, while showcasing the creativity and skills developed in the CTE programs.
“The dollhouses can be used to encourage imagination, storytelling, spatial awareness, and basic design concepts in elementary classrooms,” said Morgan. “This project also strengthens the connection between our schools and community by allowing older students to give back through a service-learning experience.”
Last week, the interior design students loaded up the dollhouses and delivered them to the pre-k classes. For the elementary students, the dollhouse donation was a complete surprise, with several students exclaiming with excitement upon seeing the gift.
“My favorite part about dropping off the dollhouses at the elementary schools was seeing the students’ reactions,” said Morgan. “Their excitement, smiles, and enthusiasm when they received something handmade just for them, were priceless.”
This project highlights the strong sense of collaboration developing within Memorial High School’s CTE programs during its inaugural year, as students gain real-world experience by working together across disciplines. Morgan hopes the partnership between the interior design and construction technology classes will continue to grow.
For the elementary students, the dollhouses will serve as an ongoing learning tool that encourages creativity, storytelling, and imaginative play long after the initial surprise delivery. This project not only connects students across grade levels, but also reinforces the district’s commitment to hands-on learning experiences that extend beyond the classroom.