Sometimes we all feel like we don’t measure up. At 71Five VoTech we teach basic vocational skills along with life and ‘adulting’ skills the students will need to be successful. One example is the use of a tape measure. Most students that come into our program may have seen a tape measure but never held one or attempted to figure out what the plethora of little black and red marks are used for. A couple of weeks ago, two Juvenile Justice youth were tasked with constructing an aquarium stand out of some scrap lumber at VoTech. After determining the required length, the young men took out their tape measures, marked the lumber, and cut off two spindles each with a miter saw. What I heard next was interesting, one of the students said, “You missed cutting the length of the cut by 1/32 of an inch!”

 

What a privilege it is to work with these young people each week and bring them from not knowing anything about a tape measure to getting 1/32 of an inch accuracy in constructing something. What a change in self-confidence I’ve seen in these two young men in the short time with us… not to mention all the equipping with the life skills and Christ-centered principles. Thank you for giving your funds and prayers to 71Five, you’re helping these young men “Measure Up”.