Workshop Houston’s Capital Campaign
Workshop Houston is six months into its Capital Campaign to secure a new home. With the help of our supporters and volunteers, we have made incredible progress towards our vision of a vibrant center of activity and community. We have fully renovated and reopened the Bike Shop, while also completing a comprehensive site plan for the rest of the campus, and raising more than half of the funds we need for the Campaign.
In summer of 2006, Workshop Houston unexpectedly lost its original space and had to move. This was a trying time, but we were motivated by our responsibility to the youth and adults who have come to rely on the organization and who have put so much into it. We decided to purchase a permanent home to ensure Workshop Houston will be a part of the lives of our participants well into the future. After searching the neighborhood, we found ideal new location to continue our work at 3529, 3531 and 3615 Sauer Street , and launched our Capital Campaign to pay for its purchase and renovation.
Our new site has 5,650 square feet of indoor space and nearly 10,000 square feet of land Ð plenty of space for our current programs, and to expand in coming years. The campus is comprised of two adjacent properties: a former pool hall (3615 Sauer) which houses the Bike and Chopper Shops, and a lot which holds two residential fourplexes (3529 and 3531 Sauer) that will be converted into the Beat and Style Shops, as well as offices and our new tutoring center, the Homework Shop (see article pg 2). The new location is within blocks of Blackshear Elementary School, Ryan Middle School, and Yates High School, which most of our participants attend. The Columbia Tap Trail, a new bike path that will connect downtown to Hermann Park , will run directly behind the site.
In order to move as quickly as possible, we signed leases for the properties in September of 2006 so we could immediately begin renovations. At the same time, we signed option contracts for their purchase. Since then, we have been simultaneously renovating so that we can reopen our programs and raising the money for the project. The properties, though in better condition than many others we looked at, were in poor shape. We have worked to make our new spaces safe, comfortable, and accessible for our participants. We opened the beautiful new Bike and Chopper Shop on January 27 th (see article pg 1). Our team of pro bono architects has created a site plan with indoor and outdoor program spaces that will create a unified and welcoming campus, and we are currently beginning to renovate the buildings that will house the Style Shop, Beat Shop, and the new Homework Shop.
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To date, funds for the Capital Campaign have been raised through a combination of foundation grants, fundraisers, and individual and corporate support. With a $50,000 matching gift from the Bridgeway Charitable Foundation and a recent grant from the Houston Endowment, we will be closing on the Bike Shop property this month. We have received in-kind support in the form of air conditioning, lighting and an overhead security door for the Bike Shop, and a much-needed new electrical system for the Style and Beat Shop buildings. Through the dedication and hard work of our supporters, board and staff we have already raised over $235,000 of our $421,000 goal.
We are working to raise the remaining $186,000 to reach this goal by June 2007, when our option contract expires. We have come a long way in a short period, but still have more to do. If you can, please support the Capital Campaign, and help Workshop Houston bring to life its vision of a place that is much more than the sum of its programs, a place where people of all ages gather to work, play, learn and achieve together. We are looking forward to all the great thing to come at the new campus, and hope you will join us in making it a truly vibrant and uplifting center for the community.
Thanks! We have been truly overwhelmed by the generosity of our supporters, who have helped us get to this point. We would like to thank everyone who has helped with the programs and Capital Campaign for their support and good wishes.
The Bridgeway Charitable Foundation
Houston Endowment
Capital One
The Simmons Foundation
St. Luke’s Episcopal Health Charities
Joan Hohlt and J. Roger Wich Foundation
Ray C. Fish Foundation
Elizabeth Winston Jones and Sam Jones
Will and Tamera Honeybourne
The Estate of Dr. Malcolm and Mrs. Hortense Sher
Lucia Benton and the Benton Family Foundation
Frank Montgomery
Twilight Freedman
Helen Fosdick
Michele Camp
Bill Baumeyer
Paul and Janet Hobby
Reggie Smith
Factorypeople
The Aubrey and Silvia Farb Community Service Fund
The Thendara Foundation
Susan and Jim Baker
Klinka and John Lollar
Gerry Vander-Lyn
Gloria Herman
Ed Oppenheimer
Hubert and Reta Daugherty
Dee Weber
Viola Myers
Clark and Lisa Martinson
Hank and Brooks Diesel
Henry and Ann Hamman
Isla and TR Recking
John Lindsey
John W. Elder
Lykes Knapp Family Fund
Meg Goodman and Mike Bonini
Michael Rosmarin
Nancy Allen
Valette and Russell Windham
Wendy and Mavis Kelsey
In Kind
Johnson Supply Company
Hallmark Air Conditioning
Mark Reid and the Powell Electric Group
Janus International
John Unger and Everyone at the Guitar Center Charity Team
Rick Garcia and American Light
Macauley Elmer of Cakes by Macauley
Jaanai Byerly of the Empty Plate
Hiram Butler and Devin Borden
Hideki Hiranuma and CMA Design
Adam Brackman and Wulfe Urban
Delaney Harris-Finch
Anton Sinkewich
Chris Royster
Margaret Skidmore
Rex Bowen
Farhaad Virani
Bill Neuhaus
Tiffany Smith and Pierpont Communications
Finesilver Gallery
Tina Zulu of Zulu Creative
Shaun Jones of BirdBrand.net
Amy’s Ice Cream, Brasils, Brett Bryan and Chipotle, Caesar’s Finest, El Meson, Fiesta, New Belgium Brewing, Picnic, Starbucks and Ryan Wicker, T’afia
All of our members, and everyone else who has donated funds or materials!
Our awesome volunteers:
Al Green, Audrey Griemes, Brian Neal Sensabaugh, Cara Crafton, Chris Goodier, Deb Grotfeldt, Darcy Rosenberger, Danny Kerschen, DJ Pooks, Lisa Guitguit, Patty Schnabel and YMCA International, the Baylor Student Association, Eric Nordstrom, Jeff DeMuynck, Jeff Williams, Joey Mahoney, Keijiro Suzuki, Kinkaid High School Volunteers and Lynn Herbert, Monte Large, Mike Cannon, Mykke and Tessa, Nancy Kerschen, Rachel Hewlett, Renee Pean, Ryan Perry, Scott and Dawn, Shaun Jones, Shelley Rice, Steve Pedigo, Steven Walker and everyone else who has helped!
Workshop Houston has many volunteer opportunities. From one-time construction projects to weekly commitments, we are always looking for energetic and dedicated people to lend a hand. If you are interested in volunteering in any of the Shops or would like more information, please stop by, call or send us an e mail at contact@workshophouston.org
Coming Soon.
Monetary Donations
Workshop Houston relies on individual contributions for a substantial part of its budget. We work to keep our costs as low as possible by reusing and recycling materials and use as many dollars on programming as we possibly can. If you are interested in supporting Workshop Houston:
Donate On Line!
Donate by Check
Please make all checks payable to Workshop Houston and mail them to:
Workshop Houston
P.O Box 88365
Houston, Texas 77288
For questions, or to get more information about donations, please contact Katy Goodman, Development Coordinator at katy@workshophouston.org .
We are a 501c3 non-profit organization (Tax ID# 57-1187967), and your financial contributions are tax-deductible to the fullest extent of the law.
In kind Donations
Workshop Houston uses many donated materials for its programs. Please see our Wishlist for specific needs, or give us a call if you have something you think the Shops could use.
Bikes
The Third Ward Bike Shop needs your used bikes! We go through hundreds of donated bikes in our Earn-a-Bike program each year. We accept any type of bike in any condition, although useable BMX bikes and men’s Mountain bikes are in the highest demand. There is a suggested $5 donation per bike to help cover the costs of processing them and getting them back out on the road.
We also happily take parts and accessories, although we have to dispose of used helmets.
You can bring your bikes by during any of our Open Shop times, currently Monday and Wednesday 3-7 and Saturday from 11-4. If you are bringing more than 5 bikes, please call ahead. Unfortunately, we are unable to pick up bikes.
Questions?
Contact Katy Goodman, Bike Shop Coordinator at (713) 807-7911 or by e-mail at katy@workshophouston.org .
Workshop Houston relies on the support of the community to run its programs. Your help makes it possible for us to achieve our mission and provide innovative arts programming in the Third Ward. Your help will also bring Workshop Houston’s vision of a new home into reality. Located in the heart of Third Ward, the new campus will permanently house our programs and provide a vibrant community resource to the neighborhood. To learn more about the Capital Campaign please click here , to learn about other ways to help please click on any of the buttons above.
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Workshop Houston:
3615 Sauer 713-807-7911 contact@workshophouston.org
Bike Shop Hours: |
The Scholar Shop is designed to incorporate an academic aspect into our program. We believe that academic success is one of the most important things in our participants’ lives and are committed to making that happen for all of our students. The Scholar Shop reinforces what students are doing in school by collaborating with area educators to develop and offer services including tutoring in problem areas, study skills techniques, and test preparation strategies all in an environment which is conducive to learning. Our goal is to establish a culture among our participants that promotes self empowerment through educational development. We strive not only for academic success, but also to forge relationships with students in order to overcome academic barriers and motivate them in their pursuit of higher education. By reinforcing basic fundamentals and building strong foundations our participants will be equipped with the academic skills necessary for success. The Scholar Shop is open to any students in the neighborhood and mandatory for After School Club participants who are struggling in school.
The Chopper Shop is a fully equipped welding and metal fabrication studio. The shop has a welding room multiple with oxy-acetylene rigs and a ventilation system. Our work room holds a wealth of metal working tools, and is lined with work benches for machining and sheet metal fabrication.
In Chopper Club , students learn to design and build their own high quality chopper and low-rider bicycles. Students progress from learning the fundamentals of welding and metal fabrication to building custom bikes using complex techniques needed to build show quality bikes. After mastering the skills involved in bike building and design, students are allowed to create projects on commission. Students at this level work with clients to create proposals, contracts, and budgets while continuing to improve their technical and creative skills. These advanced students are mentors for beginning participants and establish a youth driven environment for the class.
The Style Shop is a fashion design and silkscreening studio. In our fashion workshop, five sewing machines, design and layout tables, and a stock of fabric, clothing and notions are available for projects. Our print studio has computer stations with Photoshop for designing images, a dark room for developing images on screens, two project tables for printing, and a specialized screen washing area.
In our Style Club , students create their own custom-made fashions and accessories. Students begin with a variety of projects such as logo design, computer design, and basic screen printing. As they progress through these projects they learn to sew and do alterations, building all the skills necessary for creating quality fashions. In workshops with visiting artists, students pursue advance fashion skills they are interested in including knitting, dyeing, and advanced graphic design. After their initial training, students work with staff mentors to set their own goals which may include producing more complex designs, creating a fashion line, or doing design and printing for other people. As they advance, students create a business models, budgets and marketing campaigns for their products or services.
The Beat Shop is a music production studio and practice space, which includes a small recording booth, a versatile work space, and a lounge. The shop has multiple sets of DJ turntables and mixers, live instruments, and digital drum machines and samplers. Our computer stations have software for recording, sequencing, and creating new music.
In the Beat Club students explore music of all forms, mainly focusing on the foundations of hip-hop. Students go through projects devoted to reading music, beat making, “screwing and chopping”, sampling, MCing, and mixing. Additionally, participants work with writers to write lyrics and learn to express themselves in new ways. After going through different aspects of music-making, students focus on their interests, from production to DJing or MCing, to playing live instruments or doing promotion. Instructors in the Beat Club work with the students to find the best way for them to use their skills and interests, finding specialized music teachers, organizing CD release parties or going to MC and DJ battles.
Check out hot beats and rhymes from the 3 week Beat Shop 2007 summer session here
The Bike Shop runs innovative youth programs and promotes recycled bicycles as an affordable means of transportation in the Third Ward by offering below-cost bike repair facilities, after school and summer activities for kids, and bike related events. Our youth and adult programs focus on hands-on self-directed education as a path to self-empowerment.
During Open Shop residents of Third Ward fix their own bikes with help from trained volunteer mechanics and all the tools of a professional bike shop. During Open Shop participants can buy or earn used parts for their bikes. This program significantly lessens the cost of maintaining a bike by eliminating service fees and by providing inexpensive used parts.
During Earn-A-Bike participants can get a bike through a work exchange that benefits themselves, the Bike Center, and the community. To earn a bike, participants must salvage working parts from an unusable bike and wheel, learn to patch a tube, and then fix a bike that is donated to a local charity. They then choose a bike to repair for themselves. EAB is open to participants age 7 and above. Adults who can afford it are asked to make a $35 contribution to the Bike Shop to participate in Earn-a-Bike.
Bike rides are held during school breaks and the summer and are open to students of all ages. In the past rides have gone to parks for cookouts and games, local museums, college campuses, pools, ice cream shops downtown and more.
At Workshop Houston we believe that given the opportunity kids will empower themselves to succeed.
Our programs build on kids’ existing interests - in this case, bikes, fashion and music — through hands-on arts projects. By providing the space and skills that excite youth to learn on their own terms, we give them the confidence and options they need to make positive decisions for themselves. Workshop Houston runs the Third Ward Bike Shop, The Beat Shop, The Style Shop, the Chopper Shop, and the Homework Shop.
THE BIKE SHOP
The Bike Shop runs drop-in programs for community members of all ages. These include the Earn-a-Bike Program, the Open Shop program, and group rides.
THE TEEN CLUBS
The Teen Clubs are three after school clubs for 12-16 year-olds, each based out of one of the shops. The clubs focus on project-based activities that teach practical and artistic skills, and give students the chance to pursue entrepreneurial ventures using what they’ve learned. The clubs are tied together by Community Fridays where students participate in group activities, and by academic tutoring for students who are struggling in school.
Workshop Houston builds the foundations for empowered communities through creative and enriching activities for youth. Workshop Houston has four shops that provide artistic, technical and academic resources: the Chopper Shop (welding and metal fabrication), the Beat Shop (hip-hop music production), the Style Shop (fashion design) and the Third Ward Bike Shop (do-it-yourself bike repair). Our programs use hands-on project and dynamic collaborative processes to create an environment in which youth explore new knowledge and power on their own terms.
Seth Capron , Executive Coordinator and Co-Founder
seth@workshophouston.org
Seth is one of the Founders of Workshop Houston. He graduated from Oberlin College in 2002 with a degree in Environmental Studies and a focus on urban studies. Before starting Workshop Houston, Seth worked as a mechanic and manager in a number of bike shops around the country. He has also designed and taught youth and adult courses in bike repair, land use, and ecology and worked as an elementary school math and reading tutor.
Jamal Cyrus , Beat Shop and Style Shop Coordinator
jamal@workshophouston.org
Native Houstonian Jamal Cyrus is currently working on his MFA in Combined Media at The University of Pennsylvania. This is his second year working with the after-school program. Jamal is dedicated to bringing engaging and innovative arts programming to the youth of Third Ward and abroad. Jamal is also a visual artist who has shown work in museums and galleries nationally and internationally including the Whitney Biennial, Clementine Gallery NYC, CAMHouston, and Diverseworks.
Katy Goodman , Development Coordinator, Bike Shop Manager, and Co-Founder
katy@workshophouston.org
A founding member of Workshop Houston, Katy hails from Oakland, California. She graduated from Oberlin College in December 2002 with a B.A. in Politics, focusing on grassroots organizing and civil society. She has worked as an instructor, mechanic and finance secretary for the Oberlin Bike Co-op and as a workshop instructor and city liaison for the Big Parade, a town wide community parade in Oberlin.
Reginald Hatter , Homework Shop Coordinator
reginald@workshophouston.org
Reginald Hatter is from Los Angeles, California. He graduated from Baylor University in 2003 with a BA in Political Science and minored in Criminal Justice. Reginald is currently working as a lecturer and tutor at Fondren Middle School in Houston, Texas. He has taught SAT preparatory classes at Wharton County Junior College and has provided tutorial services for Huntington Learning Center. Throughout his collegiate career, Reginald was head of a non-profit tutorial service at G.L. Wiley Middle School as a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
Danny Kerschen , Chopper Shop Coordinator
danny@workshophouston.org
Danny Kerschen was raised in Houston. He graduated from the University of Houston in 2001, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. Kerschen has taught several art programs throughout Houston including as the curriculum designer and artist mentor at Young Artist Apprenticeship Program through Blaffer Gallery. In addition to teaching Danny is also a visual artist who has shown his work in spaces around the country. You can see his work online at www.dannykerschen.com
Benjy Mason , Program Coordinator and Co-Founder
benjy@workshophouston.org
Benjy is one of the Founders of Workshop Houston. He graduated from Oberlin College in 2002 with a degree in History. He was previously Co-President of the Oberlin Bike Co-op where he designed and implemented a variety of community based programs, including a bike repair program for youth at-risk and the now annual Bike-In Movie Series. He also taught a variety of other youth arts and mechanics classes for several local organizations. Benjy also makes stuff which has been shown at spaces around Houston including Diverseworks, Project Row Houses and the Orange Show.
Zach Moser , Capital Campaign Coordinator and Co-Founder
zach@workshophouston.org
Zach is one of the Founders of Workshop Houston. He graduated from Oberlin College in 2002 with a B.A. in Studio Art with a focus on community based art projects. While at Oberlin he founded an after-school program as well as Oberlin’s Big Parade. During this time he also taught youth art classes. In 2003 Zach received the Compton Mentor Fellowship award. Zach received an Artadia Award in 2006, and has shown his work in galleries throughout the United States. You can see his work online at www.zachmoser.com
Matthew Sullivan , Assistant Bike Shop Manager
matthew@workshophouston.org
In addition to his work at Workshop Houston, Matt is a visual artist from Houston. He graduated from the Museum School in Boston, Mass with a concentration in art design. You can see his work online at www.artmatthew.com
Workshop Houston builds the foundations for empowered communities through creative and enriching activities for youth. Workshop Houston has five shops that provide artistic, technical and academic resources: the Chopper Shop (welding and metal fabrication), the Beat Shop (hip-hop music production), the Style Shop (fashion design), the Third Ward Bike Shop (do-it-yourself bike repair), and the Homework Shop (academic tutoring). Our programs use hands-on projects and dynamic collaborative processes to create an environment in which youth explore new knowledge and power on their own terms.
History of Workshop Houston
Workshop Houston was founded by four long-time collaborators: Seth Capron, Katy Goodman, Benjamin Mason, and Zach Moser. We believe that the foundations of progressive change are in positive and engaged communities and that dynamic hands-on learning processes can create these communities. Our experience has grounded our work in certain methods: a trust in collaborative processes, the combining of skill-building and creative practice, self-directed learning in a supportive environment, and providing open access to resources.
We met while attending Oberlin College in rural Ohio. Despite a wide range of academic interests we quickly realized that we shared similar goals and values and began collaborating on projects from running a cooperative Bike Shop to planning and implementing arts education programs in local schools. Our work together culminated in organizing a town wide parade and picnic which drew in hundreds of participants and quickly became an annual town holiday.
The work we did together in school helped Zach, a Houston native, win the Compton Mentor Fellowship, a post graduate award given to students who show outstanding promise in community based work. While normally an individual award, the four of us decided to split the Fellowship so that we could continue our work together. Upon graduation we loaded our belongings into the back of a pick-up truck and headed to Houston. Our first project was the Third Ward Community Bike Shop, opened in October of 2003. We spent our first year, all living together off the fellowship money in a small two-bedroom apartment around the corner from the Shop and working furiously to get the Bike Shop off the ground.
The Bike Shop quickly became an important community resource for Third Ward by providing quality do-it-yourself bike repair and innovative youth programming. An exciting multigenerational community has grown around the Shop, with many people coming into fix their bikes and staying to become long term volunteers and even staff. In our work at the Bike Shop we began to see a pressing need for programs that could reach students in middle and high school. As our participants grew to be teenagers and began to assert their independence, they were also losing interest in school and turning to drugs or gangs as avenues to find success or combat boredom. This is not atypical behavior for teenagers, but with no safety net our participants were dropping out of school, or going to jail.
In January of 2006 we opened three new shops and started the Teen Clubs to provide teenagers with positive alternatives at this important time in their lives: the Chopper Shop, the Style Shop, and the Beat Shop. The Teen Clubs are based on a self directed project based learning model where students learn by doing hands-on work. This model, combined with the fact that we reach our to students through mediums that they are already interested in, has proven to be extremely effective in reaching out to students who are do not participate in any other structured activities.
Houston Friends:
Tour de Hood
Objectif Magazine
Youth Advocates
The B-Boy Hodown
Fifth Ward Enrichment Project
The Forge
Aurora Picture Show
Nameless Sound
PUSH
Turning Point Center
Neighborhood Centers Inc.
YMCA International Services
KTSU
Magnificat House
SHAPE Community Center
BIke Houston
Houston Bicycle Club
Greater Houston Off-Road Biking Association
Local Schools and Universities:
HISD
WALIPP Academy
Contemporary Learning Center
J. Will Jones Elementary
Edward L. Blackshear Elementary
James D. Ryan Middle School
Jack Yates High School
Houston CAN Academy
City Offices and Local Political Representatives:
Houston Parks and Recreation Department
Bikeways
Ada Edwards
Carol Alvarado
Sheila Jackson Lee
Rodney Ellis
Garnett Coleman
Friends and Inspirations around the country:
San Francisco Beacon Initiative
Manchester Craftsmen’s Guild
The Point CDC
YA/YA
New Urban Arts
Bike Kitchen (SF)
Oberlin Bike Co-op
National Youth Arts Organizations and Information:
YouthARTS Toolkit
Coming Up Taller
National Community Bike Program Directories:
International Bicycle Fund Community Bike Programs Directory
Bike Organization Organization Project
Youth Bicycle Education Network
Katy Goodman hails from Oakland, California. She graduated from Oberlin College in December 2002 with a B.A. in Politics, focusing on grassroots organizing and civil society. She has worked as an instructor, mechanic and finance secretary for the Oberlin Bike Co-op and as a workshop instructor and city liaison for the Big Parade, a town wide community parade in Oberlin. She is a founder of Workshop Houston, and works at the organization as Bike Shop Coordinator and Development Coordinator.
Sam Jones has been actively engaged with Houston non-profit organizations for the past 20 years, including most recently, Artist Rescue Mission, Nameless Sound, Project Row Houses, and Workshop Houston. For Ten Years he was Technical Director/Preparator at DiverseWorks where he was an integral part in many outreach programs designed to mentor at risk youth. After leaving DiverseWorks Sam moved to Northeast China to teach English. Currently Sam is an artist working out of his home studio and is primary caregiver to his 5 year old son, Jack.
Sarah Jones works as a publicist and event planner/producer for Olivette PR. She has organized a wide variety of events including fashion shows, parties, and galas for organizations including Project Row Houses, Diverseworks, FactoryPeople, and Nylon Magazine. Sarah Jones is a graduate from University of Houston with a degree in Consumer Science.
Veon McReynolds is a dedicated community activist in the Third Ward, and founder of Tour de Hood, a group which organizes bicycle rides for the neighborhood. Veon holds a Ph.D. in Community Psychology from UT Austin, and is Interim Director of the Office of Institutional Effectiveness at Texas Southern University, where he has worked for seventeen years. Veon has worked with numerous organizations that focus on his interests in inner-city community organizing, bicycling, and health.
Frank Montgomery grew up in Houston. He is the managing partner of a closely held real estate investment firm. Frank’s firm owns and operates income producing real estate in the Museum District of Houston. He is involved with several local, nonprofit organizations and has a particular interest in early education. Frank is a graduate of Wabash College in Indiana.
Thomas Nauls is the owner of the Tipping Point, downtown Houston’s only sneaker lifestyle store. Part of the Tipping Point’s mission is to partner with nonprofit organizations like Workshop Houston that have an emphasis on innovation and creativity. Thomas is a native of Houston, and attended Lamar High School. He graduated in 2003 from the University of Houston at Clear Lake with a BS in Fitness and Human Performance.
Dakota Sampson is an 18-year-old senior at Bellaire High School, where he runs a hip hop dance troupe. A former Workshop Houston participant, Dakota is interested in DJing and screenprinting, and is currently starting his own clothing line. Dakota is our Youth Board Member.
Celeste Tammariello is a graphic designer and fine artist. She works for CMA Design and is the Arts & Entertainment Director for YELLOW Magazine, Houston’s only lifestyle/fashion/art magazine for the Asian community. Currently showing with the Deborah Colton Gallery, she has also done group and solo shows at Diverse Works, Art League Houston, Project Row Houses, the Lawndale Art Center, Arthouse in Austin, and Gallerie Urbane in Marfa.
Our new home on Sauer Street
For more information please click on the categories above
