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Highlands Today

Students tackle projects through workforce program

Marc Valero, Highlands Today

Avon Park High School students and recent graduates, working through a Heartland Workforce program, spread mulch on Forest Avenue on Thursday in downtown Avon Park.

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By MARC VALERO

Highlands Today

Published: July 3, 2009

AVON PARK - After cleanup and fix-up work at Donaldson Park, students in a workforce program experience satisfaction, which turned to frustration as graffiti marred their hard work.

"You don't want to go down there and see it messed up, Avon Park High senior Shana Williams said Thursday, because you know how it feels to be down there cleaning and then go back there the next day and do the same thing because people don't respect what you are trying to do."

Avon Park High senior Robert Cabrera has a few words for those responsible for the graffiti.

"Writing on top of the tables and items of the park is illegal - you could go to jail," he said.

Undaunted, the 12 students in the six-week Heartland Workforce Summer Work Skills Enrichment Program tackled another project Thursday.

With rakes, shovels and wheelbarrows of mulch they spruced up the landscaping at the corner of Main Street and Forest Avenue.

Cabrera said if he wasn't working in the program he would be home doing nothing.

He is saving his stipend from the program to pay for his senior year events at school.

The students are evaluated on 16 work-related behaviors such as working as a team member, dressing appropriately, observing safety issues, working well with supervisors and accepting criticism.

Avon Park High School construction technology instructor Ed Brown is supervising the students.

"I think they are doing excellent," he said. "They've learned a lot; they've experienced some frustration; they've experienced the joy of doing a good job and leaving something better than it was when they got there."

Along with the pressure washing, mulching and painting work at Donaldson Park, the students repaired the large grill area by laying brick and doing some steel work.

The program has partnerships with Habitat for Humanity, Highlands Hammock State Park and the city of Avon Park.

On rainy days, the students help the custodial staff at area schools.

Soon the students will take on projects at the state park such as repairing rotting wood on the walkways and building information kiosks for use by visitors.

Also, at the end of the day and on rainy days the students are working toward earning their certification from the Occupational Health and Safety Administration.

The program is funded with federal stimulus money.

Highlands Today reporter Marc Valero can be reached at 863-386-5826 or mvalero@highlandstoday.com.

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