The deadline to enter the design contest to green your school is fast approaching. Tell every teen you see this week to get their concepts entered by February 1st. Then the showdown begins.

The Kitakami "We Are One" Market and Youth Center passed final inspection Christmas Day. The market opened January 23 and the youth center is quickly filling with scheduled after-school programs, English classes and architectural consultation.

December and January the New York chapter visted over a dozen neighborhoods stricken by Superstorm Sandy, assessing needs, collecting stories and building map resources for nonprofits. Progress is also being made in Seaside Heights, on the NY/NJ schools program, and Rebuild One Block in Far Rockaway.

With months of training, compressing and testing earth blocks, the crew at Manica are now well underway on their Football for Hope Centre, number 12 of 20, exploring a new materials market for the region, and helping local org GSM with their mission of reconciliation among Mozambican youth.

On January 12, the Rebuilding Center observed the three year anniversary of the country's devastating earthquake. The third Bati Byen year in review reflects on progress made in a holistic, long-term and grassroots nationwide recovery. The Villa Rosa basketball court is one such community-driven initiative.

Members of the Haiti office collaborated with neighboring design/build office YCF Group SA on the international design competition to re-envision Port-au-Prince's fallen cathedral. Although the design did not win, it and dozens of other entrants have stirred the imaginations of what could anchor the nation's capital. Plus, we're really taken with design our local architects submitted.

Prototyping for the winning entry from the New Haven Chapter's urban park furniture competition is underway. Through the competition and collaboration with the City of New Haven, the local chapter is leading the development of "innovative recreation infrastructure" for Long Wharf Park.