By: Don Meador
A donation from the Elizabeth Turner Campbell Foundation (ETCF) will help the highly acclaimed Build-A-Bed program at Allen County-Scottsville High School construct additional beds in the 2025-26 school year. Build-A-Bed is a collaborative effort of multiple school and community partners whose mission is to provide students with beds---students who may be sleeping on the floor, on the couch, or on a broken bed.
“We are making a $6,250 donation to Build-A-Bed,” explained Foundation Director Dana Spencer. “We allotted $250 per bed for 25 beds.”
Articles on the Build-A-Bed program in local media sparked Spencer’s interest in the program. After speaking with program officials to learn about the need in the community and the program’s objectives, Spencer approached the entire ETCF Board. Approval was quickly granted to support Build a Bed.
“We are above and beyond excited to be able to do this,” Spencer said. “This involves the youth and young adults at the high school. But, it also involves so many areas, the art department, ag, the metal fabrication. Of course, it also benefits the underserved in the community.”
Build-A-Bed at Allen County-Scottsville High School started about a decade ago. The school’s JROTC students---then under the leadership of Col. Ron Turner and SGT Major Joey Simpson launched efforts to build beds for students in need of a better place to sleep. From the start, the program included school partners who stepped up to help. When current JROTC educator Col. Scott Walker came to AC-SH, he carried on the Build-A-Bed program.
Walker and JROTC students oversee the program but not without assistance from others. This past year, Paul Spears, Allen County Career and Technical Center’s Industrial Maintenance instructor, asked shop students to help build metal supports for the beds. Agriculture shop students from Brandon Weaver’s ag classes contributed by constructing the bed’s wooden frames and supports. From there, art students under the supervision of art educator Natalie Ewing painted the beds. JROTC students helped secure mattresses and additional supplies.
The collaboration does not stop there. Heather Gray and Brandy Seaton with the high schools Youth Services Center worked behind the scenes to identify students who were in need of better sleeping arrangements. The Scottsville Rotary Club made donations for bed supplies as well. Furthermore, many local individuals, churches, and organizations donated money to help with construction and mattress costs and to purchase items to include with the beds.
The Build-A-Bed program is a months-long effort. JROTC starts making plans for the year in September. Their work involves purchasing materials and coordinating with their partners. Over the next two months, the building and finishing process takes part as time permits. Once the beds are completed, Walker and school officials distribute the new beds and mattresses---typically between Thanksgiving and Christmas.
The donation will enable the program to expand to 25 beds---an increase from the 15 that were constructed and distributed this year.