Woodlawn Cemetery Hosts Historic Preservation Programs for Youth
By Masonry
Historic preservation is the theme for new youth programs hosted at historic Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx and sponsored in part by in-kind training from Cathedral Stone Products, Inc.
A collaboration between Woodlawn Conservancy, World Monuments Fund, and the International Masonry Institute (IMI), The Woodlawn Cemetery Preservation Training Program includes a nine-week training program in restoration masonry for 18- to 24-year-olds that provides both classroom learning and extensive hands-on training in workshops and on the grounds of The Woodlawn Cemetery. Students can earn certifications in Cathedral Stone masonry restoration systems, as well as platform and suspend scaffolding, and receive OSHA training. The interns are taught by IMI instructor Rob Cappiello, a 25-year veteran of the trades. The program depends on grants and sponsorships.
A six-week summer career preview program, for rising seniors from Bronx International High School, was created to provide younger students with a taste of the historic preservation field as applied to masonry. Students learn about preservation careers, as well as procedures for documenting a historic site, including GIS mapping, and how to preserve fragile stones.
Upon successful completion of the Preservation Training Program, students receive certified-installer status for Cathedral Stone Products.
Woodlawn Conservancy, WMF and IMI started the Preservation Training Program in 2015 as a pilot to address the needs of underserved, high-potential 18- to 24-year-olds in the community. Twelve young people completed the 2015 internship program. Three were selected for continuing apprenticeships at Woodlawn, and five of the other nine secured jobs in the trades. The 2016 intern program began in July and includes 16 young adults, plus nine high-school students.
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Masonry, the official publication of the Mason Contractors Association of America, covers every aspect of the mason contractor profession - equipment and techniques, building codes and standards, business planning, promoting your business, legal issues and more. Read or subscribe to Masonry magazine at www.masonrymagazine.com.
