A group of Brighton students made good use of their time during spring break March 17-21 by helping to build a chickee at the Brighton Cultural Center Complex.

Before they began building the chickee, Johnnie Jones, community culture advisor, used a model chickee to show the boys the essential elements of a chickee, how to square it off and build it.

“We wanted to give them the experience to learn about chickee building,” said Diane Smith, Brighton community culture manager. “Some of them may never build one again but now they have an idea of how they are built.”

The 6-by-30-foot chickee shades the sign of the complex and took a couple of days to complete. Moses Billie, of Big Cypress, donated his time and materials for the project. While the boys were working, girls made them a hearty lunch of Indian Stew with fry bread and vegetables.

Students who participated were Theodore, Miguel, Manny and Amalia Estrada, Charlie and Kulipa Julian, Demahni and Melanie Bonilla, Mayan Macias, Chance Madrigal and Kowi Osceola. Adult helpers were Joseph John, Joyce Jumper, Amos Moses Billie Jr. and his crew and the Brighton Community Culture staff.