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Yucaipa High engineering students outline South Africa water‑station capstone and fundraising
Summary
Student leaders from the Yucaipa High Engineering Academy described a student‑led South Africa cohort that has designed prototype water stations and a 'Dream Center' for a Cape Town community, reported early fundraising of roughly $8,000 and asked for ongoing district and community support.
Student leaders from the Yucaipa High School Engineering Academy presented the board with a student‑led international capstone project that pairs academy classes with a Cape Town team to design water stations and a community 'Dream Center' for a settlement of about 700 people.
"My name is Leilani Mancalo, and I am a co‑captain of our Engineering Academy’s leadership team," Leilani told the board, describing a student‑run effort to integrate civil‑engineering pathway coursework with field projects and international collaboration. She said academy teachers and visiting engineers have helped students draft blueprints and develop construction prototypes.
Student Aubrey Andrews described a planned community center built from a 20‑foot shipping container, estimating a project cost of "approximately $12,000" and outlining a model that would serve 20–30 children at a time for tutoring and mentorship. Silas Sijac reported on fundraising to date: "We have raised over $8,000 going straight to South Africa" for education and construction expenses.
Students said their prototype water station used locally available materials for a first build and that a final, durable version would likely use concrete and vandal‑resistant features; they noted design input from partners including the Valley Water District and Caltrans. Students described outreach and promotional efforts (T‑shirt sales, popcorn fundraisers, and an online order form) and asked the board to support continued community partnerships to scale the project.
Board members praised the student initiative and asked technical questions about durability, anti‑vandalism design and fundraising cadence; students answered with plans to continue fundraising in the school year and to seek donations and in‑kind help from local agencies. The district presented students with a "Making a Difference" certificate recognizing the project as part of academy activities.
Next steps the students identified: continued fundraising, design development with engineering partners, and a planned travel opportunity to Cape Town in spring 2027 for participating students.
