Realtist Community Day Collaboration: Building More Than Just Gardens in Dayton
- Greater Dayton Realtist Association
- May 1
- 2 min read
By: Roger Rucker
On a bright Tuesday, April 13th, the grounds of Belle Haven Elementary School became a hub of transformation. The event, part of the Greater Dayton Realtist Association (GDRA) "Realtist Week," showcased a powerful collaboration between real estate professionals, educators, and the next generation of builders.
At the heart of the activity was a joint effort between GDRA and the Development Operations Initiative Team (DOIT) to install a new sensory garden for elementary students.
Democracy in Housing and Community Service
The Greater Dayton Realtist Association, an organization fundamentally rooted in the mission of "Democracy in Housing," dedicated the third day of their annual Realtist Week to community service. TyYanna Sharp, Chairperson of Realtist Week, emphasized that the organization's vision extends beyond property lines and into the heart of the neighborhoods they serve.
"We thought this would be a great time to collaborate with the students and help them in their vision," Sharp noted, highlighting the importance of supporting local youth and school environments.
DOIT: Training the Next Generation
The project was executed in partnership with Mike Manuel and the DOIT program. DOIT (Development Operations Initiative Team) works closely with construction pathways at Ponitz Career Technology Center (referred to in the community as Ponitz High School).
By bringing high school construction students to Belle Haven Elementary, DOIT provided a "near-peer" mentoring environment. The high schoolers applied their classroom knowledge to a real-world project, building a sensory garden designed to provide elementary students with a specialized outdoor learning space that stimulates touch, sight, and smell.
A Stronger Foundation for Dayton
The initiative also saw support from local businesses like Relentless Roofing, proving that when professional organizations like the GDRA team up with educational initiatives like DOIT, the impact is multi-generational.
The sensory garden serves as a permanent reminder of what can be achieved when the community invests in its schools. For the GDRA, it was an opportunity to live out their mission of advocacy and service; for the DOIT students, it was a day of professional growth; and for Belle Haven Elementary, it was the gift of a new space to grow and learn.
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