Build Day lets Lakie students build projects, gain experience
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Shovels, saws, hammers and drills. Grade 8 students at G.S. Lakie Middle School became tradespeople for a day, getting hands-on experience for the school’s Build Day.
Working with carpenters from Ashcroft Homes, the students built five projects designed to enhance Lakie’s outdoor classroom area.
“We’ve had this outdoor classroom here for six or seven years and no one really uses it,” said instructor Lori Adamson. “There was nothing in there, so we brought the kids out here and said ‘What could we do to make it better?’ We brainstormed some ideas and came up with five projects that were approved by the teachers.”
The projects chosen include a table which will be surrounded by hammock chairs, a beanbag toss table, a four-foot-by-four-foot Connect Four game and two uniquely designed benches. There is also a life-sized checkerboard made with concrete tiles in the grassy area.
The 25 students split into groups and picked one project to work on. They were required to research and draw a sketch of their project, then pitch the idea to Lakie administration, as well as District maintenance and facilities personnel for feedback.
A final sketch was created as well as a video pitch and submitted to Ashcroft Homes who, in turn, drafted the master plans for the projects. Representatives from Ashcroft also conducted a safety overview with the students before they put their hands to work building their creations.
Finishing touches will be added over the next few weeks, but that’s not all.
“They’ll be doing some career research, making some career connections to what they’ve been doing and where they want to end up,” said instructor Gord Smith. “Throughout the whole program they’ve been documenting their journey, so for our celebration we’re going to get all the parents together and have an evening where the kids will share their learning journey and present their projects.”
The experience is part of the Career and Technology Foundations (CTF) curriculum, which is an optional program that allows students to explore their interests and passions as they learn about various career possibilities and occupational areas.
“This particular project was instilled by the Alberta government for about four years as optional. They’re about to hopefully bring it in as full time,” explained Paul Bohnert, CTF instructor. “We got a jump on the gun and brought these outside partners in to work on the project to create a template or a pilot for future projects in the region.”
While this year it was open to only Grade 8 students, next year it will also be open to Grade 7 students. They expect to have 75 signed up with three instructors.
The CTF program allows many opportunities for junior high students who are just finding themselves and exploring potential career paths.
“It’s not based on a particular subject of study,” said Adamson. “It’s a combination and showing how all these things they’re learning in different areas can come together to make projects, and how we stress teamwork and communication and those kind of soft skills in working anywhere that you need to have to be able to get along with others and do projects like this.”
The program also helps students explore their interests and passions, said Smith, which might inspire students in a future career choice.
“Making that connection to the real world has been really important for them,” he said.
Lakie has also received donations for the project from a number of organizations including Lethbridge School District No. 51, Ashcroft Homes, Burnco Landscaping, Princess Auto, Western One Rentals and Cloverdale Paint.
Dave Bodell, who is the sales manager/partner at Ashcroft Homes, didn’t hesitate to get on board when approached by the school’s instructors.
“We’re very excited to be here,” he said. “We hope to do this again next year with another group of students.”
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