Palos West Student Birdhouses a Familiar Sight in Palos-Area Yards

If you see a brightly colored birdhouse hanging in the yard of your Palos-area neighbor, it may be the work of Palos West Elementary Teacher Lee Harwig’s students.

Since 2010, her students have been making birdhouses in her Palos West preschool classroom, guided by her dad, Ron Harwig, a retiree, who has been a volunteer at the school since his daughter started teaching in 1998.

Mr. Harwig developed the idea for the project to give students some wood working experience and designed the kit and parts of the birdhouses in his home workshop. She said her dad works with each student to help assemble their birdhouse and also helps them give it a coat of paint.

Over the years, families have sent photo updates of birds building their nests in the houses.

“Our families have always loved this project, and some have as many as five or six birdhouses in their yards,” said Ms. Harwig, adding, “Parents keep in touch and send me pictures each year if a new bird family takes up residency in their birdhouse!”