Washougal students create colorful bird houses

WASHOUGAL — Nearly a dozen decorated birdhouses have appeared in downtown Washougal. Local middle school students, Washougal Arts and Cultural Alliance members Janice Ferguson and husband George Gross, as well as the city of Washougal, teamed up to add these student-decorated birdhouses atop poles in the flower bed next to the Washougal City Hall parking lot. Using repurposed wood, Gross built 27 birdhouses to provide to the Club 8 Art Club, comprised of Jemtegaard and Canyon Creek Middle School students and led by art teacher Dani Allen. “The kids loved the chance to challenge their creativity to make the houses into works of art,” Allen said in a news release. “And they love being able to see their art out in the community.” In another city and school district bird house partnership project, Washougal High School woodworking students built and decorated houses that will be placed in the new community garden park in downtown. Club 8 would like to continue the birdhouse project and students have asked their work be shared in Hamllik Park nearby where several live. To do so, more wood will need to be sourced. Donations can be made by contacting dani.allen@washougalsd.org.