Mike Parada, contractor sales and support for the R.K. Miles in Williamstown, shows Mackenzie Viola's class the different colors Trex decking comes in.
R.K. Miles' Michael Parada and Amanda Monks speak to the fourth-grade class at Williamstown Elementary School.
The children were most interested in the Trex Co.'s composite decking because its variety and sustainability.
R.K. Miles' Michael Parada and Amanda Monks with winners Theo Finch, left, Eliza Mandel and Cooper Tatro.
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Fourth-grade students at Williamstown Elementary School participated in our Junior Marketers Create an Ad series.
Students in Mackenzie Viola's class created ads for R.K. Miles, a fourth-generation family-owned building material and hardware supplier. View all of the students' ads here.
This year, R.K. Miles is celebrating its 85th anniversary. It offers a range of products including doors and windows, hardware and tools, paint and sundries, lumber and building material solutions, and more.
At its custom mill shop, R.K. Miles can provide custom-made products for all sorts of projects, including wood countertops, architectural details, molding and trim, outdoor furniture, window trim kits, doors, and more.
R.K. Miles currently operates in nine locations in Vermont and Western Massachusetts, including Manchester Center, Middlebury, Morrisville, Stowe, Barre, St. Johnsbury and Waitsfield in Vermont and Williamstown and West Hatfield in Massachusetts.
In their ads, the pupils specifically highlighted one of the products R.K. Miles sells: the environmentally friendly Trex decking.
"We sell wood decking as well, but Trex decking, I thought it would be fun, because it's seasonal. It's starting to get nice outside. It's springtime, and everyone's starting to get outside from being pinned up in the cold winter days, and this is the time of year where people start thinking about improving or adding to their outside space, and decking is one of those ways to do that," said Amanda Monks, R.K. Miles marketing director.
The students were very engaged, asking questions to Monks and Michael Parada, of Williamstown's R.K. Miles contractor sales and support.
"The kids were very attentive," Parada said.
Several students included in their ads the slogan, "Trex decking has the look of wood without the hassle of maintenance."
The material is designed as an alternative to traditional wood decking, offering a more sustainable and easier-to-maintain outdoor living solution.
During their participation in the program, several students said they learned that Trex decking is made of 95 percent recycled material.
It is not actually wood, but it looks like wood and comes with the added benefits of low maintenance, durability, and weather resistance. The material does not require frequent painting or staining, Monks said.
Monks selected Theo Finch as the first-place winner for his outstanding design, with Eliza Mandel as second and Cooper Tatro third.
"They were all very, very great. It was very difficult to choose because they all captured the feeling of what it's like to have a new deck, and why a new deck is something that is enjoyable and creates a better outdoor living experience," she said.
During the school visit, the duo passed around material samples and explained them to the students.
They were interested in the colors, materials, color-matched screws, and hidden fasteners, as well as how to attach the Trex, Parada said.
It comes "in many different colors," said Cooper and, said Eliza, since the decking reuses things, it doesn't hurt the environment.
In their drawings, students depicted joyful individuals enjoying the outdoors on or around their Trex decking. In several illustrations, children can be seen playing soccer, basketball, or swimming, while adults are grilling on their Trex deck.
Theo drew two people outside on the trex decking, having a barbecue. He said this shows them having fun and that they are confident in the quality of the material.
Eliza drew a family spending time together outside, the parents are standing on the deck talking while the kids are playing catch in a field.
She said this illustration shows how Trex is good for patios and decks and included the tagline "Trex decking has the look of wood without the hassle of maintenance."
Cooper drew two people sitting on a deck on a sunny day. One said, "I love this deck," and the other replied, "Me, too." Nearby, someone was playing basketball.
"It was so nice to see kids who aren't naturally in love with the arts, to be so involved in something that's not necessarily curriculum related," Viola said.
"They did such a good job, and it was interesting to see similarities between kids that weren't even sitting near each other, and the similar thought processes. It was really cool to experience."
Some students integrated their own experiences, with some mentioning they actually have Trex decking at their own homes, she said.
An opportunity like this is "important because it helps kids form connections with the community members outside of school, and having a local business like R.K. Miles that they're familiar with, it was just really awesome," she said.
"And just having them have such an active role with something in their community was so exciting. Seeing the smiles on their faces was amazing."
Monks said she participated in a similar project for a local pizza place when she was in elementary school. Although she didn't win, the opportunity made her interested in learning about businesses and may have established her journey toward a career in marketing.
"I think it's good to be part of a community, and let the children know that this is what we do, and let them learn and experience it from it," she said.
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