SHARON SPRINGS – Agape Youth Center was formed after several people saw the need for a safe and inviting gathering place for middle- and high-school students.

A downtown building was acquired, and a nonprofit organization established. A Wallace County Community Foundation grant paid for a new roof, and Hansen Foundation grant funds paid for several improvements to the building, including a new HVAC system and the creation of a small kitchen.

Rather than buy new cabinets from Home Depot, representatives of the center approached the woodworking/carpentry instructor at Wallace County High School about building the cabinets as a class project.

The teacher and students were excited to have a real life construction project in the community, and several students built the cabinets last spring. Over the summer, the instructor installed them with the help of a student.

This fall, the class put the handles on for a finishing touch.