Instructors share concrete knowledge with K-12 audiences

Building construction faculty recently provided hands-on activities in concrete science to elementary school students in Allentown and to high school and career and technical education instructors in the college’s labs.

Franklin H. Reber, instructor of building construction technology, and part-time instructor Harry W. Hintz recently traveled to the Allentown School District’s Central Elementary STREAM Academy, where, as part of the school’s Career Day, they provided hands-on activities to teach fifth graders about concrete careers.

Before the students measured and mixed ingredients to make molded concrete pieces of their own, they received an introduction to the history of concrete (Did you know it was used to build the still-standing Roman Pantheon and Colosseum?) and insight into the many job opportunities in today’s concrete industry, as well an overview of cement types and the chemical admixtures they would be using.

Reber and Joe F. DiBucci, instructor of building construction technology: concrete and masonry, with assistance from Hintz, also recently presented two two-day concrete seminars to high school and career and technical education instructors in the college’s concrete science facilities. In addition to teaching technical knowledge and hands-on concrete skills, the Penn College faculty led the teachers in several hands-on projects they can replicate with their high school students.

Concrete is the second-most used material on the planet after water. Penn College’s associate degree in concrete science technology prepares students to succeed in the production and analytical evaluation of concrete, as well as the applications, aggregate selection and admixture techniques and products specific to the concrete industry. It can be continued to a Penn College bachelor’s degree in residential construction technology & management.