Students, faculty lay groundwork at Habitat site

Students Brody C. Galcik, of Prospect, and Brayden P. Rothenberger, of Pennsburg, both enrolled in heavy construction equipment technology: operator emphasis, excavate the site.

Franklin H. Reber (right), instructor of building construction technology, sets grade stakes – with help from a student and transit – before the footer concrete is poured. (Photo by Joe F. DiBucci, instructor of building construction technology, concrete and masonry)

Students in Joe F. DiBucci’s Concrete Construction class pour the home’s footer. The concrete included a water reducer admixture to allow the concrete to flow throughout the footer. “This helps increase the fluidity of the concrete without affecting the structural integrity of the mix, which made the pour a lot easier to accomplish,” explained DiBucci, instructor of building construction technology, concrete and masonry.

A student “puddles” the concrete to grade.

Reaching their “level best.”

Charli J. Spradlin, of Hellertown, and Cassandra Guiffre, of Russell, plumb a corner guide for insulated concrete forms that will be laid for the home’s foundation. Spradlin is pursuing a bachelor’s in residential construction technology & management. Guiffre is in building construction technology.

Shanya M. Allen, a building construction technology student from Coatesville, taps the second course of insulated concrete forms to interlock with the first.

Guiffre cuts the ICF the right size …

… for Tyler A. Craig, of Perkasie, to complete one of the foundation’s sides.

A concrete pump, courtesy of Wm. L Robinson Concrete, stands ready to pump concrete into the forms.

Franklin H. Reber (center, in plaid), instructor of building construction technology, offers direction to his students, enrolled in the Concrete Construction class.

Jeff Robinson (in green), of Robinson Concrete, walks student Jared Wilks through the functions of the pump’s remote control. Wilks, of Robbinsville, N.J., is majoring in residential construction technology & management.

Zach T. Wilson, of Wading River, N.Y., tries maneuvering the pump.

Wilson (right) and Owen R. Kupsey, of Chadds Ford, guide concrete into the form. Both are majoring in residential construction technology & management.

A student in Scott A. Bierly’s Masonry Principles class holds the string line in place as the group determines the boundaries for the home’s side porch. The class set concrete masonry units for its foundation.

Following the plan.

Using a meter rod and transit, a Masonry Principles student determines elevation.

Mixing the mortar is AJ Zerrenner, a residential construction technology & management student from Doylestown.

Owen W. Brackbill, of Doylestown, levels the first concrete masonry units for the porch’s foundation.

Managing the project for Greater Lycoming Habitat for Humanity – and in this photo, placing sub-slab plumbing – is Andy Hamelly, a graduate of Penn College’s building construction program.

Meanwhile, students in a Trim & Millwork class used their budding skills to place window and door trim and baseboards at another Habitat home being built on Scott Street. Here, John R. Morris III, a building construction technology student from Asbury, N.J., cuts a trim piece to fit.

Harry W. Hintz Jr., part-time instructor of building construction technology, holds pieces in place for Colt Kaminski, of Jeannette. Kaminski is in building construction technology.

Building construction technology student Jack C. Chamberlain, of Leesport, nails window trim pieces.

Students Max E. Mickel, of Beach Lake (center) and Aidan M. McCracken, of Franklin, measure a bedroom window. Both are majoring in building construction technology.