The following is an article from North Yarmouth Acadamy about the student partnership on the new Travis Roy Ice Arena posted June 20, 2022
Work on North Yarmouth Academy’s (NYA) reimagined Travis Roy Ice Arena and Fitness & Wellness Center is well underway. Hebert Construction and owner Tim Hebert, NYA parent ’25 and ’27, is leading the project. As a creative way to address the current shortage in the labor market, Hebert designed a flexible work program for current NYA students to support a project that will positively impact their school. In supporting their school, students also gain a front row seat to the construction industry and learn a great deal in the process. Not only will they receive a competitive wage, but Hebert will donate $25 back to the project for every hour of student work. If NYA students cumulatively work over 200 hours, the contribution will be doubled.
“Donating to the school for hours worked is my way of giving back in honor of the hard work everyone put in who supported the project,” said Hebert. “I want the students to know they had an impact on the success of the project. I also want to bring light to the fact that skilled tradespeople are important. We need to celebrate and reward hard working people in foundational jobs. Every single person who works at Hebert Construction impacts the success of our company.”
Five seniors donned hardhats and worked in the arena as part of their senior service projects in May, and seven others signed on for the summer. Each week, they get to choose their own hours. Full time employment is available for those interested, with the opportunity to get involved in other sites Hebert Construction teams are working on. Hebert believes “flexibility” is paramount to the student work force. “The construction industry has a shrinking workforce, and students need flexibility to self-regulate their work-life balance. The balance and idea here for me is: you’re only a kid once, but every emerging leader should experience a hard day’s work. To go from finishing an AP math exam to being told how to properly sweep a floor can be humbling and help build a foundation for success.”
“We are so fortunate to have Tim Hebert and Hebert Construction as a partner with this transformational project for the Academy,” said NYA Head of School Ben Jackson. “While providing a dynamic work and educational opportunity for our students, Tim is also generously giving back to the school to honor those student workers.”
In April 2022, NYA began construction and a reimagining of the Travis Roy Arena and the addition of a fitness and wellness center. The 4,000+ square foot fitness and wellness center will include cardio and strength training equipment, weights, and flexible space for yoga, meditation, and mindfulness. There will also be dedicated space for classroom instruction and team meetings. The project will also focus on modernizing, enhancing, and expanding the Travis Roy Ice Arena, transforming both the player and spectator experience with new locker rooms, athletic training space, and additional seating. The arena improvements will support the legacy of excellence for NYA’s top-tier boys and girls ice hockey programs, while enhancing the Academy’s ability to be a community resource. In addition, the new facility will offer a permanent, high-visibility home for the Edgar F. White, Class of 1938, Athletic Hall of Fame.
North Yarmouth Academy is an independent, college preparatory, coeducational school for toddlers to post graduate students with an enrollment of 375 students. Since 1814, NYA has fostered integrity, character, and intellect in its students. For more information about NYA, please contact us at 207-847-5423 or information@nya.org.