Force 4 Good: School in Detroit full of need and hope

Preliminary work being done to prepare for Life Remodeled's plan to transform Cody High School, 100 blocks around it

Cody High School and 100 blocks around it are about to undergo a transformation.

"It's crucial to any community we invest in it has significant need and radical hope," said Chris Lambert, the president of Life Remodeled.

Life Remodeled is a nonprofit organization that focuses on making change one neighborhood at a time. This summer it is focused on Cody High School and its neighborhood. The major renovations will take place the week of August 11, but preliminary work is already being done in and around the school.

Falling ceiling tiles, broken windows, and rotting pipes are just some of the many problems facing the students and staff at Cody High School.

Related: Volunteers, supplies, tools needed to remodel Cody

But with demolition day fast approaching, the students and staff at Cody High School are eager for a change.

"The residents are already engaged, the alumni, there are over 140 block clubs, the students have already stepped up to the challenge here," said Lambert.

Despite the challenges and conditions, the school has already made amazing progress.

"You know about the graduation rate? That about 4 years ago, was under 40 percent now it is over 80 percent," Lambert told Local 4.

The first room on the demolition list is the old shop room. Life Remodeled is transforming the unused, worn room, into a state of the art medical simulation lab.

"I don't believe there is any school in the entire state of Michigan that will have a lab like this," said Lambert.

The students are thrilled about what the remodel will mean to their education.

"I am excited. I think it is cool cause to get new stuff and not stuff that other people have use it is nice to have somethings new sometimes." said Micheal Brown, a sophomore at Cody High School.

The old library at the school will be transformed too.

"This is going to be a leadership lab," said Lambert. "This is going to be their main space where they are going to engage in mock trials and there are going to be movable furniture in here so this room is going to have a variety of settings including student debate."

The home economics room will be completely revamped.  Students are already cleaning out the old equipment to make room for newly donated kitchen appliances.  There will be six kitchens in all when the remodel is completed.

Cody High School will also have a Stem lab with a robotics room.  Stem stands for science, technology, engineering and math.

"ABB has donated a $65,000 assembly line robot and $225,000 in software so that 50 users can be using this thing," said Lambert.  "These students will be able to learn how to program this robot."

The school will also get a new teachers lounge and a brand new football field.

Under this Life Remodeled project, 100 blocks in and around Cody High School will also be transformed with some students having their own homes remodeled. 

Life Remodeled has over 10,000 volunteers to make this project happen but they are still in need of paint, tools and lawnmowers.

For more information on volunteering or helping in another way, click here.