Mechanics and Mental Health

Hello!

My name is Clayton St Pierre and I am a Licensed Social Worker with 4 years of experience working with Children and Families. I am currently working on my Master's degree at the University of Cincinnati. Through UC I have been given the opportunity to complete an internship at the Lighthouse Community School in Madisonville Ohio.



I have created this Go Fund Me to help raise money for a Mechanics and Mental Health Program I am creating at the school. This program is unique because it will provide disadvantaged youth with an amazing and exciting outlet through a hands-on educational opportunity. The students at the Lighthouse Community School all have what we call Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs). Many of them are in foster care, group homes, or homeless. They are all from low socioeconomic families. The majority of our students are African American and from the inner city of Cincinnati. This program will provide our students with the opportunity to learn basic mechanical skills through working on a vintage 1981 Yamaha XS650 motorcycle (pictured below). Mental Health lessons will be incorporated by working to relate the maintenance of machines to the maintenance of mental health. Just like it takes tools and knowledge to maintain or fix a bike, it takes tools and knowledge to maintain or improve our mental health. Through the Mental Health and Mechanics program we will be teaching the students valuable life skills. They will learn to use tools and problem-solving strategies to fix the bike. The mechanical skills may help them to get jobs after they graduate or ignite their interest in pursuing college (Engineering) or a trade (Mechanic). The mental health skills will help them to live a more healthy and balanced life and effectively cope with the daily challenges they face. I will be using the money raised by this Go Fund Me to help buy the parts and supplies that we need to fix and restore the bike. The goal of this program is to help the students learn life skills and improve their mental health. When the bike starts up for the first time they will see and experience a great accomplishment wrought by their own hands. The sense of empowerment, pride, and self-worth that can come from such a tangible accomplishment is priceless! Please help me provide this opportunity to our students!

 


Some of the items that this money will help us buy are:
·       Service Manual - $34

·       Wiring Harness - $61

·       Ignition Kit - $147

·       Fuse Boxes - $30

·       Alternator Rotor - $154

·       Alternator Stator - $196

·       Battery - $90

·       Contact Points - $17

·       New Exhaust - $170

·       Tire Tubes - $5

·       Oil Filter - $15

·       Carburetor Rebuild Kits - $30

·       Fuel Filter - $3

·       Gasket - $12

·       Chain - $65

·       Headlight - $40

·       Throttle Assembly - $30

·       Front and Rear Tires - $200


*All item prices were estimated based on prices from mikesxs.net

For more information on the Lighthouse Community School please visit  https://www.lys.org/services/lighthouse-community-school/