INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — They lined the tables in the cafeteria, studying the blocks scattered before them – deciding what they were going to build. With 100 Lego-type building blocks, the children had one hour to build something – anything except people or animals.
For 11-year-old Nathan Hines, a fifth grader, that meant a decorative wall that could be installed in just about any type of building.
“I made it symmetrical,” Hines said of the color pattern he used. Rather than grabbing random blocks and connecting them, he made his choices with a purpose.
Saturday’s Block Kids Building Competition was a first for Hines, who had had other plans for his day until his mom told him to get ready. He said he would participate again if given the chance.
The annual competition was held in the cafeteria at Osceola Magnet School, open to all children in grades Kindergarten through Sixth in Indian River, St. Lucie and Martin counties.
Organized by the National Association of Women in Construction, the competition is meant to spark interest in the construction industry at an early age.
Ann Wood, the lead organizer of the local competition, said this year’s event drew nearly double the number of participants as last – 75 kids instead of 39.
“It just hit right,” she said of awareness for the event.
For 16 years, the event has been held at Osceola Magnet, a tradition Wood would like to carry over to the school’s new campus next year at Thompson Lifelong Learning Center.
“They’ve really been supportive,” Wood said of the magnet school’s leadership.
As for the local competition, the best construction projects will be sent on to the Regional Competition, where judges will look at five photos of each project – a view of each side and the top – and read the material judges provided. From there, the top finishers move on to the National Competition.
Spencer Blanding, a judge tasked with reviewing projects by the 4th-6th graders, said the best part of being a judge is getting insight into the competitors’ thought processes.
“Anytime I see young people doing something they love, it’s good,” Blanding said.
The children were allowed to use more than just the building blocks to construct their projects. They had a piece of string, a couple pieces of paper and a piece of aluminum foil.
The judge said many either didn’t use the non-block materials or integrated them into the foundation of the piece.
Others used the string and foil to replicate the crane one company brought to the career fair, held in the courtyard at the school.
Several businesses with ties to the construction industry offered up information about what it’s like to work in the field.
“It’s something fun” for the kids, said Lisa Seavey, of Gerelco Traffic Controls. The fair is meant to “bring in the community and build interest and a future workforce.”
The competition was sponsored by Pirtle, Gerelco Electrical Controls, and Lynch Johnson & Long LLC CPA.
Anyone interested in joining the National Association of Women in Construction is encouraged to call Ann Wood at (772) 562-8972 or visit www.nawic.org.
