Zavier Parker

the AG Associates certification was a test that i took in my agriculture class in eighth grade. this certification was reserved for the top students in the class that took it all three years and consistently stayed after school. the test went over general agriculture ideas such as which grades of eggs are sold, different breeds of steer, and other ideas like types of fire extinguishers and such.

The HBI Pact core certification test is a test given by the home builders institute of America, which has a chapter at Bartow High School. This specific certification is an entry level one and is based on safety and first-time use. The curriculum is split into three different segments, the first segment is OSHA/ANSI rules and procedures. These are general rules like never placing anything within 36 inches of a fire sprinkler or how to read a Safety Data sheet. I was shown different rules over equipment and tools and how to safely follow them. The second section was the construction math section. This shows how mathematics is used in construction, and how to apply it in real life scenarios. Using geometry in carpentry, along with how to read a tape measurer and speed square. The third and longest section was the tool and equipment safety section. This section went over how to safely use tools from hammers and chalk lines to surface sanders and panel saws. We had to identify tools like pry bars and painters 5 in 1 tool. We learned how to safely use these tools and the most effective way to do them. For the equipment we also learned how to safely operate them, along with using lockout/tagout procedures, and what a GFCI is for and where to use it. Furthermore, they also went over more general equipment such as a ladder and procedures like the belt buckle rule, and the 4 to 1 rule. This certification is a knowledgeable one because it gives me the baseline knowledge on how to safely use and operate most tools I will use in my life, along with rules and procedures that will prevent me from getting myself and others hurt.

ACE Mentoring is the flagship program in the construction academy for students looking for careers in construction management and engineering. The program is a mock job where you and three or four other students must plan and design the construction of a building, and you have mentors from various companies such as Springer/Voss construction and WMG development there to help assist you with any question about the process. There are a few main deliverables that are required, that being a cost estimation sheet, GANTT chart, and job safety analysis of the project. The job is supposed to go in-depth from pouring the concrete of the building pad to laying the last coat of paint in the inside. The money of the concrete, time it will take the workers to pour and trucks to come in, and the hazards and controls that can happen on the site. Everything must be accounted for. This year is my second year in ACE, the first year I placed third and this year my team ended up winning the competition. This year's plan was “shoreline design.” You can build anything on a body of water with a budget of 20 million. My team decided to build a conservation center just south of New Orleans on the Mississippi. With our building being a conservation center, we planned on being as sustainable as possible in construction and operation of the place. Using pervious asphalt for the parking lot as it will absorb into the aquifer quicker, to planting native New Orleans trees in the garden. We presented this, had to answer a few questions, and ended up winning the competition. The main draw of ACE would be the scholarship program though. In it you must answer a few essay questions about yourself (career paths outside of high school, college opportunities, best lesson learned in ACE, etc.) along with letters of recommendation from an educator and one of the mentors. I ended up getting six. When all was said and done, at the banquet I was chosen for a scholarship of 1,500$ this program is very beneficial to me learning job skills in management, punctuality, and how to depend on others as they can depend on me. I will continue this program for the next two years of high school.