Chicken Coops Were Highlight Of DCHS Construction Spring Projects

By LYDIA BERGLAR
News Editor

This spring, students in Dade County High School’s carpentry construction pathway have been busy building and selling picnic tables, American flags, birdhouses, dog houses, and chicken coops. The chicken coops were the ambitious undertaking of the third-level students (juniors and seniors).

The class split up into groups of about four students. In total, they made seven coops. Each coop has ten nesting boxes.

David Howard (carpentry/electrical/metals teacher) brought photos of chicken coops to the class, and together, they critiqued the samples and figured out where they could make improvements. Howard explained, “We critique designs based on minimizing waste. You want to come up with measurements that don’t waste material.”

One of the samples that the class looked at had five-foot sides, but the students realized that this didn’t make sense because standard plywood sheets are four feet by eight feet. They created their own design that made better use of the material.

The students came up with the blueprints themselves. Howard said, “The math department loves that the kids are learning about angles. I love that they’re being exposed to every aspect of construction.”

Howard believes that the skills the students learn in his classes will serve them throughout their lives. Even if they don’t enter the construction field as a career, they’re being equipped to complete projects around the house.

In the April 10 episode of “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” (a series produced by DCHS Broadcasting and featuring Principal Brent Cooper), two members of the Class of 2025 who enjoyed working on the chicken coops spoke with Cooper.

Philip Stafford explained that he loves the hands-on CTAE (Career, Technical, and Agricultural Education) classes. Of the construction classes, he said, “You learn how to use a bunch of different tools that you might not be using in your everyday life, but it’s good to have that knowledge.”

Stafford told Cooper, “With the price of eggs being so high, we figured people would want chicken coops.”

Cooper then talked to Macie Endicott. He told her, “I like a well-rounded student. I know you just won first place for humorous interpretation at the Georgia High School Association Literary Competition, and then here you are in construction class. Do you think that’s important, to put that on a resume for colleges and employers to see?”

Endicott answered, “I think it is very important, because then they can figure out what kind of person you are and how you’ll do in the workforce.”

Cooper asked for Endicott’s advice to eighth graders choosing their classes for high school. Endicott said, “You should do [the construction pathway] because Mr. Howard is truly one of the greatest teachers we have at this school at this moment. He’s sweet and funny, and he will really push you out of your comfort zone so you do bigger and better things for the world.”

The class sold three of the chicken coops via auctions on Facebook. (Interested buyers commented their bids before the cut-off time.) The class plans to set a price for the last four coops and sell them in the usual way.

Bids started at $850, and the first coop sold for $975, the second sold for $1,025, and the third sold for $950. The net income from all construction pathway projects goes into the construction pathway account to be used for future projects. After expenses for the first three coops, the third-level students raised $400 for future projects.

As always, Howard would like to thank local sponsors, specifically Bottom Dollar Tools, Elder’s Ace Hardware, and Handyman Salvage, for giving the school a discount on materials. Howard said, “The community loves our class, they love what our kids are doing, and they support us.”