Two
Michigan Tech classes worked in Bolivia in July and
August 2005. The walls keep rising….Last year
the first floor bathrooms and a school room were constructed
on the new Walter Henry School site. This year another
room was added on ground floor as well as 3 rooms
above. Next year the freshmen through juniors will
occupy these new school rooms! Design projects this
year ranged from analyzing the existing structural
design including testing concrete strengths and performing
soil borings.
Students
designed septic systems for four government schools
with malfunctioning bathrooms and septic systems.
School master planning is also included in for schools
with rapid student growth. They also conducted drinking
water quality studies at the schools. Other class
members designed storm drainage solutions for the
7th ring in District 10 and another team proposed
redesign solutions to standing water problems in a
paved drainage canal on the 6th ring.
The
final team is conducting a feasibility study of the
garbage dumping and pollution in the swamps formed
by former brick factories in the area. These areas
are breeding ground for disease as well as play areas
for the children. The District 10 sub-mayor and Santa
Cruz city offices’ were extremely helpful and
supportive of the design projects. Three former International
Design Students returned as mentors: Marc Plotkin
(2001), Tim Elmore (2002), and Tim Martin (2003).
MTU ChE Alum Nancy Bach also joined us.