PHILANTHROPY NEWS
MANS Construction Tech Class Designs and Starts Needed Building BY MYKEN McDOWELL
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hen asked about the unique programs MANS has to offer, recently appointed principal Mike Willing speaks with palpable enthusiasm. He has several reasons to be so cheerful — the welding, construction, agriculture, and after- school sports programs are all highly popular with students. The skills they develop as a result are practical and multifaceted. A case in point: the new Agri-Barn that stands between the new main high school building and the newly- enlarged school garden.
The hybrid greenhouse/ shed/barn was designed by the Construction Tech class using computer drafting technology and stands at the enclosed and protected stage thanks to donations from SAGE and the Ptarmigan Foundation. The 12’x 20’ Agri- Barn links hands-on building
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Alberta Adventist News
and technology skills with another class — Gardening — and a vision for an expanding agriculture program at the school. “Of course, we have struggled in the last year due to COVID,” says Mike, referring to mandated “on-line only” instruction periods,” but nevertheless, we are very excited to put some of those good skills to use. Our students are excited to help out with some of our major on-campus projects that tie different aspects of what we do together.”
See students in action in The Construction Tech Experience video at mans1. ca Each year, students and faculty have come together to grow an on-campus garden as part of MANS’
MARCH 2022
agricultural program. With a formal Gardening class now a regular academic option, a place to store gardening tools and to start seedling vegetables became crucial. The answer was to design a building that could accommodate a greenhouse section, tool storage, and also livestock which Mike sees as part of the future of MANS’ agricultural program. The construction class students were enthusiastic about being part of the campus expansion. As an added bonus, they learned how to mill their own lumber for the project, bringing the cost of the building way down. “We’ve gone out and received donations of reclaimed trees, and we brought them in, cut them up using a chainsaw Alaska mill, and we stacked them up,” says Mike. “Given current lumber prices, we have about $5,000 worth of wood that we’ve been
