Canal Winchester Messenger - December 26th, 2021

PAGE 8- MESSENGER - December 26, 2021
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Eastland-Fairfield students’ works displayed in Columbus
Eastland-Fairfield Career & Technical
Schools’ architecture/construction management
satellite program’s Orange Line exhibit
was on display through December at
the Lazarus Company Department Store
Museum, 50 W. Town St. in downtown
Columbus.
Seniors from the architecture/construction
management program undertook the
challenge to build a model for The Center
for Architecture and Design’s contemporary
holiday train exhibit -
The Orange Line. For the fifth consecutive
year, the program participated in building
a LEGO® model to be displayed during
the holiday season.
Participants are provided a theme to
guide their creations. Builders then use
their own creativity to interpret that message
as they wish and represent it through
their submitted model.
This year, the theme is Rise Up in a Post-
Pandemic World.
The class had the opportunity to construct
two models with the aid of business
partner TRIAD Architects, allowing for multiple
interpretations for students to express
themselves through this year’s theme. Students
split into two groups, built individual
sample models, and then shared their proposals
and discussed how to move forward.
The first model was built to show the
spirit of a Phoenix rising from the ashes and
spreading its wings to take flight once
again. The second model’s foundation resembles
ruins of destruction, however, a
tower protrudes from the rear of the structure
and takes a life of its own showing
“pristine rising from the rubble of an old
building.”
Canal Winchester High School senior
Amari Fisher was part of the group that
conceived the Phoenix Rising model, citing
that the objective was to build something
that was uplifting and showed flight toward
a better place.
Fisher revealed for as much planning
that went into the idea’s origins, the structure
evolved as it was being built.
“As we built it (the model) it was coming
to life a lot more, and while you’re building
other ideas start coming to you,” said
Fisher.
She cited new ideas that manifested during
the construction process inspired structural
changes to allow the model to be built
with greater height than originally planned.
“These two towers were the best that
we’ve ever done!” said instructor Jason
McGee. “I am very proud [of the students]
for their work on these models.”
McGee began the class’s involvement in
The Orange Line shortly upon his arrival to
Eastland-Fairfield. To his knowledge, Eastland-Fairfield
was the first school to have
students allowed to participate in the winter
tradition.
With limited space available the number
of student submissions is still few, but now
schools such as The Ohio State University
have joined Eastland-Fairfield as regular
participants.
While in years past an opening reception
has been held to support the unveiling of the
exhibit, that has been absent due to caution
being taken involving the global pandemic.
The change in routine has morphed this
It’s easy for the amount of waste we create
to increase during the holidays, a time
when families and individuals are busy buying
and wrapping gifts, decorating, entertaining
and baking.
The Ohio Environmental Protection
Agency estimates waste can increase by as
much as 25 percent this time of year. This
holiday season, SWACO is making it easy to
have a green holiday by recommending a
few easy steps to reduce waste and recycle
right.
• Donate decorations or lights. Have unwanted
decorations or working Christmas
lights? Don’t pitch them; instead consider
donating to a local non-profit (e.g., Goodwill)
that can sell them in their store or use them
in their facility. Or, check out this list of locations
that accept holiday lights for recycling.
• Reduce food waste. In Franklin
County, nearly a million pounds of food
project into more than just an assignment.
What has manifested are new traditions
that allow the students in the program an
opportunity to further bond and call a piece
of this annual undertaking their own.
McGee said that, in lieu of an official reception,
he now takes the class to Condado’s
Tacos before walking over to the gallery to
see their hard work being displayed among
professional architectural firms.
After admiring the train exhibit in its entirety,
the class then spends quality time together
enjoying the Columbus Commons
where holiday decorations adorn the area.
“It’s really turned into a fun break at the
end of the semester,” said McGee. “It is a
breath of fresh air being embedded in a fun
project like this.”
The act of togetherness may culminate
into an enjoyable field trip, but it began in
the classroom.
Fisher noted that this project would not
have been as successful had it not been for
the group’s teamwork.
“It (teamwork) was very important,” said
Fisher. “That was how we got the unique
ideas for our tower. Everyone participated.
Ideas from everyone were used in the tower.
It would not have been as good as it was
without that teamwork.”
In addition to the fun surrounding the
project, Fisher noted that seeing their lab’s
work on display and knowing others will see
it, too, was a satisfying treat. “It was very
fun to be able to go downtown, meet people,
and see our work. To be only one of three
student towers that fit in perfectly with professional
architects was really cool. Seeing
it [the model] with the lights and among the
other buildings just said ‘we made it’.”
And now, the architecture/construction
management students are using their skills
and collaborative efforts in their next holiday
project - building gingerbread houses.
Visit www.EastlandFairfield.com/ACM
for information.
Have a green holiday
waste enters the landfill every day. Save
money — and reduce your reliance on the
landfill — by preparing only the food you
need. Still have leftovers? Enjoy them
longer by trying out recipes with new flavors.
For example, ham and carrots can be
turned into a ham and bean soup for Near
Year’s Day.
• Recycle Right. Break down and empty
cardboard boxes before you discard them,
and keep recyclables loose in the curbside
recycling cart to ensure materials can reach
their potential as new products for future
use. Visit recycleright.org for a list of what’s
accepted for recycling in Franklin County.
• Compost live trees, garland and
wreaths after the holidays by removing decorations
and setting them at the curb on
yard waste collection day.
For more tips, and to download SWACO’s
green holiday guide, visit www.swaco.org.