The planning for the grand multiple-step FSDB golf cart parking project began with a request by the Safety & Facilities Department to the Building Construction Technologies program under the Career Development Department.
Building Construction Technologies Teacher Randall Hancock and his BAT (Building a Tradesman program) students worked to create an 18 x 15 cement slab that would serve as a parking spot for campus golf carts. The Department provided the materials and equipment, and Hancock's BAT students carried out the labor as part of their Building Construction Technologies course standards. Students in grades 8-12 eagerly participated in this hands-on project. Hancock felt strongly about the project’s potential from the start:
“I wanted students to learn general masonry skills, such as mixing cement using the right amount of gravel, Portland sand, and water to create the correct strength to meet stress/tension guidelines. Students also needed to learn how to lay a cement slab properly.”
The cement pour project occurred over two weeks during February. Students experienced the protocol involved in site preparation, excavation to build trenches, and the laying down of reinforced bars, all with compliance to construction codes. Students learned to mix cement by transferring material from bags into the mixer for churning and pouring. Some students showed a passion for troweling the surface – they aimed for smoothness and professional quality. The BAT course, with its hands-on and detail-oriented focus, prepares students for future construction careers, and the slab project provided the “biggest bang for the buck” for the current school year, according to Hancock. The project also elicited student motivation to gain knowledge and experience in general construction techniques.
Congratulations to Randall Hancock, his students (see list below) and the Safety & Facilities Department for a highly successful collaboration!
BAT Students:
Luca Bella Bonnano White
Oceana Brown
Brieillys Colon Mendez
Kendall Colon Moore
Shawn Corbett
Derlim Cotte Alvarado
Cole Crosman
Cassidy Dainty
Brenden Fadden
Elijah Flatt
Jack Fuller
Jose Galvan
Emily Gosson
Okeel Hanson
Armani Haughton
Tyler Manning
Darren Meehan
Dan Pletenets
Ingrid Ramos Santos
Marco Solis
Juan Stauffacher
Andrew Suarez
Serenity Swearingen
Sincere Vazquez
Max Veloz
By Christi Boortz, Instructional Services
About FSDB
The Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind is a tuition-free state public school and outreach center available to eligible Pre-K and K-12 students who are deaf/hard of hearing, blind/visually impaired, or deafblind. At FSDB, students learn how to do more, be more, and achieve more, fulfilling our vision of preparing them for a lifetime of success. FSDB gratefully accepts private donations to support vital programs that directly benefit students and are not paid by state general revenue funds. For a campus tour or to inquire about eligibility for enrollment, contact FSDB Parent Services at 904-827-2212 voice or 904-201-4527 videophone. For more information, visit www.fsdbk12.org