Partnership between schools to enhance the experience of students is a great thing to see. When such a partnership can benefit the community at the same time, it is even more special.

We would like to commend Prince Edward County High School and Fuqua School for working together on what has been named the “Birdhouse Build” due to Prince Edward’s mascot being an eagle and Fuqua’s being a falcon. The build involves the construction of a Farmville Area Habitat for Humanity house that TeOnna Robertson and her family will move into once it is completed. The groundbreaking was held Jan. 12.

The involvement of both schools in this exciting project is no accident.

Fuqua Head of School John Melton said that after arriving at Fuqua School, he had begun to meet with Prince Edward County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Barbara Johnson on a monthly basis, and during those meetings they started to identify ways the two school communities could collaborate with one another.

We want to commend Melton and Johnson for helping facilitate the partnership that led to this build and potentially more like it. Melton said it was his hope that this was the beginning of a long series of builds that could be a collaborative effort on the parts of all the school communities.

Habitat Community Outreach Director Sam Rabon outlined the benefits the “Birdhouse Build” will offer to students: “Beyond just coming out and working on the build site, which students will be able to do, we’re also excited about the opportunities this will allow, as teachers and administrators can use this kind of learning lab, if you will, however they see fit in their classrooms across all levels of the schools to get the students involved beyond just swinging a hammer — helping design T-shirts, helping come up with creative ideas for fundraising, creative ideas for publicizing this build across social media and generally just learning more how this whole process works.”

And Robertson spoke to how the build will help her family as well as the community.

“Coming from a two-bedroom home with all of these little ones and getting to be blessed with this land for one, and then a home big enough for all of us to be comfortable in is just even more of a blessing,” she said. Addressing those who will help build the house, she added, “We’re thankful for all of you guys being here because our community is a rich community, and a lot of people don’t get to see that, so seeing, like, everybody pulling together is a good thing.”