At the beginning of the school year, Zane Trace schools had a problem: How to space out students during lunch periods and provide outdoor space for classroom learning? After some creative solutions proposed by administrators and teachers, the idea of creating the Zane Trace Student Courtyards was born.
The two outdoor courtyards were designed for middle and high school students to use for their lunch periods, providing for increased social distancing and for teachers, coaches and staff members to use for outdoor classroom space and student organization meetings.
High School Principal Ty Wertman approached the ZT FFA advisors in early August to determine if the chapter could construct picnic tables for the courtyards. The chapter members responded by working with school maintenance staff to build 10 picnic tables in time for the start of school and another 10 tables before the end of September.
Through the project, members learned how to estimate required materials for a construction project, read layout and assembly plans, measure, mark and cut lumber and use a variety of tools and fasteners. Plenty of problem-solving and creativity skills were put to work as well to develop a system for safe, efficient assembly of all 20 tables.
The Zane Trace school community is enjoying the opportunity to sit outside for lunch and class and the tables have also provided a nice spot for parents, students and guests to gather during sporting events at the school.
Future plans for the courtyards include landscaping, laying outdoor surface tile and maintaining the appearance of the tables for winter.