Teens Learn Teamwork and Patience by Building Gingerbread Houses

Hardin County Reclaiming Futures was recently invited to speak to a local church group about their Recovery School (Hardin Community School) and Hardin County Reclaiming Futures Juvenile Drug Court. The church members loved hearing about the community initiative and wanted to reach out to the local youth by donating funds for a gingerbread house project.
The project began on December 10, 2012 for the Recovery School students who had a week to complete their houses. Now that the houses are finished, we are holding a contest on our Facebook page for the best houses. Hardin County’s Reclaiming Futures Fellows are also invited to come in for judging and awarding prizes.  Almost the entire student body at the recovery school turned out to participate in the project.
Most students anticipated doing their own gingerbread house, but quickly realized that the task was not as easy as one would think and most began working together as teams to build the walls and the roofs. The houses were made of graham crackers and held together by a special icing to help hold the structure together. Decorations were available as multiple assortments of candies.  

Khrystal Wagner is the Treatment Court Coordinator/Supervisor/Project Director for Reclaiming Futures Hardin County. is an Ohio native and has lived in Hardin County since 2005. Since 2005 Khrystal has been the Hardin County Juvenile Court Treatment Court Coordinator and responsible for Program Implementation and Grants Management while working between and with multiple partners and programs. Khrystal was appointed Project Director of Hardin County Reclaiming Futures in 2010 where she oversees the implementation of the Reclaiming Futures Model. Most recently, in November 2012 Khrystal was appointed Treatment Court Supervisor where she is responsible for management and supervision of treatment court staff. Khrystal received her Bachelor’s Degree from The University of Findlay in 2002 and received her Master’s Degree from Tiffin University in 2003.