Dress like you’re from the ’80s and run — in the name of charity. The ninth annual PolyHouse project, a program which remodels homes for disadvantaged families, kicks off this spring with a fund-run to raise awareness and funds Saturday.
Industrial manufacturing engineering professor Roya Javadpour founded the PolyHouse project in 2004 as part of the coursework for her graduate-level management class. According to Javadpour, the project falls under the “Learn By Doing” philosophy of Cal Poly.
“It’s something more than just turning in a paper,” Javadpour said. “It’s a way for students to give back to the community.”
Industrial and manufacturing engineering students will put on the ‘Move to Build’ 5K and 10k runs Feb. 25. The event will have a barbecue, three bands and a DJ. Both races are $20, with all proceeds going to the PolyHouse project.
“The run gives us a jump start because we do all the fundraising six weeks in the spring,” Javadpour said. “We’re talking about raising about $100,000 or more.”
Industrial engineering senior Danielle Medeiros is in charge of fundraising this year. After the students formed their fundraising team, the four of them
decided who would be most capable of leading the team, Medeiros said. Her schedule, combined with her willingness to be in charge, secured her position as project manager, she said.
“I have never done anything like this before and that was probably the greatest challenge,” Medeiros said. “But I was not the only one in this position. Working with others that also had as little experience as me as well as those that did have previous experience really helped.”
To add to the fun, the runs are ’80s themed — Mederios said the theme was chosen because it is well known, and the students thought people would have fun dressing up for it.
Medeiros said this experience will benefit her in the future, whether in school or out in the industry. She also said it wasn’t all fun and games — the fundraising team has overcome obstacles and stepped outside their comfort zones.
“It has been relatively stressful trying to keep up with everything, and making sure that our team doesn’t let any of the other teams down,” Medeiros said. “Above all, this project has allowed me to strengthen my organization and communication skills.”
The project’s purpose is to remodel the home of a disabled and financially disadvantaged family or individual in the community.
PolyHouse works with the non-profits in the community, Javadpour said. Those organizations send in their clients, so screening the candidates has already been done. At the end of winter quarter, Javadpour goes with a student and visits the houses and narrows it down to three candidates, she said. She then presents the options to the students, and they decided which home they want to remodel, she said.
Two years ago, when Javadpour was on sabbatical, associate professor Lizabeth Schelmer took on PolyHouse. She said she knew it was a life changing experience for those who participate and didn’t want students to miss out because Javadpour was gone.
“It was extremely stressful for me,” Schelmer said. “Javadpour started out small in her projects and has gained much experience over the 10 years. I did not have the benefit of that experience, and the scope of our project was huge.”
Shelmer said she appreciated the relationships with the students and found the experience fulfilling.
Javadpour said she hopes the project influences students in a positive way and makes them more sensitive to the difficulties others are facing. She said the project goes beyond the classroom and into real implementation and provides a broader education than just a course project.
“I hope it gives them the courage to follow their dreams and realize, after this, no task is too daunting,” Javadpour said.