Matteo Passalacqua Helps Teach Local Elementary School Students “The Steps To Build a House” from the Local Government Perspective
L-R: (City of Wixom Mayor) Patrick Beagle, (CWA Associate Planner) Matteo Passalacqua, (SAFEBuilt) Ken Pike, (City of Wixom Assistant City Manager & Director of Economic Development) Drew Benson
On May 22, Carlisle | Wortman Associates’ Matteo Passalacqua participated in a presentation to students at Loon Lake Elementary School in the City of Wixom. Along with City of Wixom Mayor Patrick Beagle, Ken Pike of SAFEBuilt, and City of Wixom Assistant City Manager & Director of Economic Development Drew Benson, Matteo spoke to the students about planning, zoning maps and ordinances, utilities, building codes, permits, inspections and certificate of occupancies.
Drew added that they “also were able to demonstrate real-life zoning maps, actual house plans, and other hands-on aspects of the construction process that the kids could interact with.”
(CWA Associate Planner) Matteo Passalacqua presenting to students at Loon Lake Elementary School in the City of Wixom.
(SAFEbuilt) Ken Pike and (City of Wixom Assistant City Manager & Director of Economic Development) Drew Benson presenting to students at Loon Lake Elementary School in the City of Wixom.
The students were working on a project-based learning exercise about building tiny houses, and the presenters were invited to speak about “the steps to build a house” from the local government perspective.
It’s always a rewarding experience to give back to the communities and municipalities that we serve every day.
“Its fun to see young minds at work. Great ideas come from imagination and no where else in the world is there more imagination than elementary schools. It was great to talk about how zoning works, master planning and why buildings shouldn’t be too close to each other.
Every generation owes the next one a window into what could be. It was great to work with the kids and end the day with a comment from the crowd that one day, they want to do what we do.”