HARLINGEN — Alejandro Rene Esquivel gripped the float knife tightly as he spread gypsum mud over the joints.
“It’s great that we get to mess around with these kinds of projects,” said Alejandro, 13, one of about 30 students who participated in the SpawGlass Construction Summer Camp this past week.
SpawGlass is a Texas-based general contractor. The hands-on activities took place at Harlingen High School South.
Alejandro and the rest of the middle schoolers were mixing concrete, wiring electrical panels, touring steel plants and exploring other aspects of construction.
Students gave various reasons for taking the camp. Some wanted to learn something new, others were looking for something to do, and others thought they might pursue construction as a career.
“My father’s a plumber,” said Jaden Aune, 13, an eighth grader at Coakley Middle School.
He and his fellow construction apprentices were waiting to tape and float a section of drywall. Noel Caldera, a painter for SpawGlass, had just demonstrated the new skill. Tape and float meant using the knife, which resembled a spatula, to spread the mud along joints where two sections of drywall came together.
Different companies, such as Terracon, Marek Bros. and CAHS had been teaching different aspects of construction. Wednesday, students learned about plumbing from CTO Plumbing.
“I am enjoying it really well because it’s a really nice place to learn many things,” Jaden said. “I am very interested in construction. I think plumbing is my specialty.”
The week was going really well, said Eddie Rodriguez, project supervisor for SpawGlass.
“They are loving it,” Rodriguez said. “I didn’t expect such interest. They are asking good questions. We’re trying to create interest in the craft skills. There’s a shortage of qualified crafts personnel.”
The young tradesmen and women, clad in orange and yellow safety vests, kneeled before the sections of drywall. White hard hats bobbed up and down as they spread gypsum mud along edges of paper covering the joints.
“Miss, this tastes like frosting,” said Omar Kazmi, 13.
“Don’t eat it,” said Margie Lopez, field service support for SpawGlass.
Omar worked tediously at his task like the other students lined up along the sections of drywall while Lopez watched closely.
“What you want to do is fill it up a little bit more,” Lopez said, and then, “Take off the excess.”
Construction is different things to different people. Aracely Gonzalez, 13, was enjoying the new processes as a craft.
“It’s fun and really creative,” said Aracely, an eighth grader at Coakley.
“I don’t know, I just think it’s neat,” she said.
Soon the students moved to the next activity, explained once again Caldera, painter for SpawGlass. The young craftsmen knelt again before the drywall, filling in small areas, and using a roller for the larger surfaces. Evidently Tom Sawyer wasn’t the only one who could have fun painting. The kids seemed to be having a blast while learning something new. And so was Rodriguez.
“You are doing great,” Rodriguez said. “We have a bunch of Picassos.”
SpawGlass Construction Summer Camp
June 5 – 9
Participating companies
ROFA Architects
Rike – Ogden – Figueroa – Allex Architects.
Gave the students a tour of the Harlingen School for Health Professions which ROFA designed
Terracon
Taught the students about concrete
Southern Steel
Toured their steel fabrication shop
Marek Bros.
Taught students about drywall
CTO Plumbing
Teaching students about commercial pipe fitting and plumbing
D & F Electrical
Teaching students about commercial electrical installation
United Rental
Teaching students about the different equipment used on commercial construction projects
AD8
Hanging doors
CAHS – Central Air and Heating Service.
Teaching Students about HVAC and mechanical systems
TSTC
Teaching students about wind turbines and robotics
UT Systems
Tour a project in Brownsville, and give an owner’s perspective
