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.