O’Bryant High School Tiger’s Den

Date: January 2010
Project Type: Blitz Build
Project Location: Roxbury, MA
Community Partner: John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science
Collaborator: Placetailor INC.



 The Tiger's Den BeforeThe Tiger's Den before Archventures started building.
 The Tiger's Den AfterThe Tiger's Den after Archventures finished building.
 A Successful BuildArchventures Executive Director Steve Cote with O'Bryant students.



 Constructing The Den 


In light of the announcement of 2009's Martin Luther King Day as the National Day of Service, Archventures leadership wanted to capitalize on the momentum and initiate a program that engaged youth in their own communities through design-build projects. Ashiya N. Smith, Archventures Secretary of the Board of Directors, found the perfect partner at her alma mater, O’Bryant High School, where she is the academic coach for the girls’ basketball team.  Over the course of several planning meetings, Archventures designers and builders met with members of the girls’ basketball team to brainstorm the transformation of an underutilized space at the heart of their high school.  Together the "tiger’s den" into a proud display of its academic and athletic trophies as well as a welcoming atrium for the school community.



Builders from Placetailor INC Incorporated the girl’s ideas into a dramatic and vibrant design for a trophy exhibition space and welcome desk.  On Martin Luther King Day, more than 25 girls arrived on the National Day of Service to participate in the service project that would transform the tiger’s den into an attractive and unifying space for school spirit. By the end of a truly energizing experience, what was once a drab concrete corner now is aglow in a sea of gold that demonstrates the collective accomplishments of the school.  
Since completion, Principal Steven Sullivan notes the project has received an overwhelmingly positive response from students, staff and members of the O’Bryant Community.  



 Students Helping Build 




Professional Design and Labor contribution:
$900

Materials Cost:
$1100

Project Cost:
$2000

Cost to Community Partner:
$0



Special thanks: Massachusetts Housing Investment Corporation, Building Materials Resource Center for building materials contributions.





 Stencils Lead VisitorsStencils now lead visitors around the O'Bryant building.
 A Student Stencils
 An Archventures Volunteer With O'Bryant Student
 Steve Cote and Steven SullivanArchVentures Executive Director Steve Cote with Principal Steven Sullivan.