Nearly 1,300 high school students are scheduled to visit the Rhode Island Department of Transportation’s (RIDOT) Midstate Facility in East Greenwich today, Wednesday, May 13 and tomorrow, Thursday, May 14, 2009 for a learning experience that’s nothing like a typical day in school.
Instead of learning about the construction industry through a text book, they will get to put their hands on the real thing – getting to operate backhoes, excavators, pavers, bucket trucks and more during the ninth annual Construction Career Days. The event, which runs from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. each day, is one of many taking place during National Transportation Week (May 11-15), and is sponsored by RIDOT, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the University of Rhode Island Transportation Center.
Students attending the event will move from station to station, operating heavy machinery on the grounds of the Midstate Facility and visiting numerous tables and displays inside covering welding, plumbing, electrical, landscaping and other construction disciplines. Additionally, a number of technical schools and colleges will be attendance.
Media visiting Construction Days will have the opportunity to interview students and exhibitors. Local newspapers should contact the RIDOT Office of Communications in advance for assistance in meeting students from their coverage areas.
Participating schools and dates of attendance include:
Wednesday, May 13
Burrillville: Burrillville High School
Chariho:Chariho Career & Technical Center and Chariho Regional High School
Cumberland: Cumberland High School
Cranston: Cranston Area Career & Technical Center, Cranston High School East, Cranston Transition Program/Cranston ARC, and NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy
East Providence: Bradley Hospital
Exeter: Exeter Job Corp Academy
Lincoln: Lincoln High School and Davies Career & Technical High School
Newport: East Bay Met School
North Kingstown: North Kingstown High School and Forward View Academy
North Providence: North Providence High School
North Smithfield: North Smithfield High School
Pawtucket: The Tides School
Providence: Central High School, Hope High School, College Crusade of Rhode Island, GAP/TD Program, The Tides School, and Youthbuild Providence.
Warwick: Eleanor Briggs School
West Warwick: The Tides School
Westerly: Westerly High School
Thursday, May 14
Bristol: Mount Hope High School
Cranston: NEL/CPS Construction Career Academy
Coventry: Coventry High School Regional Career & Tech Center
Cumberland: Cumberland High School Special Needs Class
East Providence: East Providence Career & Technical Center
Exeter/W. Greenwich: Exeter/West Greenwich High School-ALP Special Education
Glocester: Harmony Hill School
Johnston: Calef ALP School and Johnston High School
Lincoln: Spurwink School II, Davies Career & Technical High School, and Northern R.I. Collaborative Transition Employment Center
Middletown: Middletown High School
Newport: Newport Area Career & Technical Center
North Providence: St. Lawrence School
Pawtucket: Pawtucket Alternative Learning Program, Shea High School, and Tolman High School
Providence: Academy of Services High School, College Crusade of Rhode Island, Dr. Alvarez High School, E3 Academy, Feinstein High School, High Road School of Providence, Mount Pleasant High School, and Providence Skills Center
Scituate: Scituate High School
South Kingstown: South Kingstown High School
Tiverton: Tiverton High School
Warwick: Warwick Skills Center
Woonsocket: Beacon Charter High School
DIRECTIONS: Take I-95 North or South to Exit 7 (West Warwick, Coventry). Follow signs.
Contact: Charles St. Martin 401-222-1362, Ext. 4007