Miami High School instructor Bob Gelso's class has been full of technical education class students hammering and sawing as they work on a special project, an 8 x 12 foot storage building they have built from the skids up.
Gelso has 36 years and more of experience of teaching instruction in basic construction practices and wanted to do bigger projects at MHS with his students.
Gelso said the class of over 30 students went over the design, structure, roof design, flashing, and vapor barrier, learning terminology and hands on construction skills.
"We started out with the skids, then put a seal plate on top that, then the mud seal, then the subfloor. All of that is treated wood, after the subfloor all of that is standard lumber," he said.
The students still had some finish work to complete on shingling the building and will be running the electric work, a receptacle, a switch and a light, through the building. The project took about 9 weeks to its completion.
"This is the first time we've done it here, and the kids have jumped right in," Gelso said.
He said the class was taught safety precautions, including the use of safety harnesses.
"I've got a girl in here and she can put the guys to shame on shingling," he said.
Patricia Peterson, the student Gelso spoke of, said she loves the hands on aspect of the class project. "I learn a lot better hands on. It's really cool. I learned a lot of stuff I didn't know about. Like how to construct things, there's so many layers. At first you don't see it coming out like that and then it comes out and it's like, wow."
The storage building has been purchased by Miami High School's assistant principal Irvin and will be moved to Carthage when it is completed.
A long history of teaching makes Gelso well-qualified to instruct his students. Gelso's career in education started in Shawnee Mission, then on to Riverton, then Missouri Southern, and he worked in the industry for a couple of years. Gelso then went on to Northeast Vo-Tech for 18 years, was the financial aid administrator at Labette Community College, and was with adult education at Crowder, subbed at Ft.Scott Community College, then subbed at MHS before coming onboard to teach full time.
Another project that the class has taken on was a study of robotics using syringes to power them. The students each designed their own robots. Gelso said the kits for these generally run $300, but with the help of the hospital and Osborn's he was able to do the project for less.
Gelso said he would like his class to construct other building projects and asked that anyone interested contact him at Miami High School 918-542-4421. By Melinda Stotts Miami News-Record |
