Working along with skilled craftsmen is a group of at-risk young people like 18-year-old Thomas Lescaud, who recently aged out of foster care.
"Working here is a great experience. It helps me to learn different trades and also get an education while I'm doing so," said Lescaud.
"They need a lot of support and we're just one of those mechanisms," said Andrew McKnight of the Challenge Program. "It's a lot cheaper to provide support this way than it is to put them in jail, and that seems to be the alternative."
Federal stimulus money pays for part of the salaries of these young men in the Challenge Program, while corporate and private donations pay for the rest.
"We teach them construction skills and employability skills. Our general goal in the Challenge Program is to find employment for youth," McKnight said.
The school of hard knocks has been where most of these young men came from. Dimier McCain's parents died when he was a boy and he dropped out of high school in the 12th grade.
"I haven't been to foster care, but I lived with my brother, to my sister, to my aunt, just trying to find my way," McCain said.
Because of their often troubled upbringing, many of these young men never had an opportunity to visit a place like Children's Museum, so working there brings them even greater satisfaction.
"It's going to benefit them in a wonderful way and, yes, there may be some kids out there like me," said McCain. "It's a good feeling."
Funding the Challenge Program and building the non-profit Children's Museum remains a constant challenge.
Here are links with information on how to help:
RELATED LINK: Challenge Program
RELATED LINK: Delaware Children's Museum
