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Art And Math Program Creates Opportunities In Architectural Design

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There was a time when you would mostly likely find architectural engineering students mastering college-level work and reaching for a degree in the engineering field. You may have expected to see apprentices combing over sample drawings to create plans for buildings and homes. However, with emerging technology and the demand for better qualified students to enter the workforce, the expectations have shifted.

Today, high school students are mastering the skills of professional contractors and engineers. Students who enjoy drawing and creating designs, while calculating space and shape, have found the perfect opportunity to demonstrate their talents.

Thanks to the exceptional learning opportunities in the Folsom Cordova Unified School District (FCUDS), students are able to build on their talents in both art and math.

Cordova High School's ACE (Architectural, Construction and Engineering) team is not only proving that it is never too early to develop artistic engineering skills, but that art and math make a constructive combination. Cordova High School's ACE team took home the Best Presentation Award at the 2015 Architecture Construction & Engineering competition in March. Twelve local student teams, including another from Folsom High School, competed in the design and engineering program that challenges students to work side-by-side with industry mentors on advanced design and planning concepts.

 

The Art Of Construction

It has become imperative that students start at an earlier age, mastering concepts like math measurements, project management and design planning. The love of drawing and designing is the other talent that must also be nurtured. The ability to conceptualize and visualize the finished product is any artist's secret weapon. These FCUSD artists have tapped into an avenue upon which they can build their futures. They are mastering the art of construction.

This year, students were tasked with providing a vision and design for a new career pathway education facility that would be "a first-class, state-of-the-art, energy-efficient, and sustainable facility" on each team's existing campus.

The Cordova team designed a two-story Medical Academy that included a roof system that collects rainwater to use in building restrooms. After many two-hour Tuesday meetings and four field trips, they designed the two-story building. They experimented with ways to determine what shape of roof would be best for water collection and went on to create a physical model and computer models of the campus.

Cordova won in presentation, where the judges were impressed with their knowledge of detail and structural design. The students drew real site plans, complete with legend, and plot points. Their proposed site plan even included some civil engineering work to show the roads at the building. Inside the building the students drew a layout detailing level one and two of the building. They laid out various areas in the building like classrooms and restroom locations. Key to the drawing and structural model, was the water conservation plan. The students' plans detailed how the rain water recycling system worked with a water harvesting system.

The student team members included: Moran Andrus, Mike Barsegian, Kristi Cheng, Evelyn Delgado Maxim Jeleznii, Madie Masood, Brenda Sosa, Andy Zubyan, and Rudi Zubyan.

Allowing the students to achieve the construction results of professional architectural engineers was the commitment of project mentors including: Ray Nalangan (SMUD), Maria Balbierz (Swinerton Builders), Doug Nelson (Roebbelen Contracting, Inc), Preston Tziouaras (Roebbelen Contracting, Inc) and Nadia Sabeh (Guttman & Blaevoet).

Among participants honored was Evelyn Delgado. She won a $750 college scholarship and the Cordova High School's Team Leadership Award. All student participants were celebrated for the outstanding job and efforts they took to prepare for their futures using math and art.

 

Nicole Bailey-Covin is a public school education writer for Examiner.com.

 

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