Last week, students from Hamilton Heights High School and Garrett High School had the opportunity to compete in the first of what is expected to be an annual event, the Golden Shovel Competition.
Hosted by MacAllister Machinery Company in Indianapolis, construction trades education students from both districts had the opportunity to show their skill and knowledge in this inaugural heavy equipment construction skills competition.
According to Charlie McCullough, Communication Specialist for Indiana Constructors, Inc. and Work IN Roads, the competition centered on the Civil Construction Pathway education program and marks a significant milestone in civil construction education and Indiana’s commitment to build Indiana’s infrastructure. The Golden Shovel Competition is designed to bridge the gap between high school students and the construction industry directly. Offering a platform to showcase the excitement of construction to students and connect with potential employers.
“The event, backed by some of the biggest contractors in the civil construction industry, were present to see the students in action,” said Kevin Sheets, Hamilton Heights High School Construction Trades Education Teacher. “Students earned points through a variety of skill tests that included working as a team to survey a 20-by-20-foot square lot that was eight inches tall. They performed a job hazard analysis and a complete equipment check, loaded up a dump truck with dirt, unloaded it on the site, leveled and graded the lot within one inch of specs, and returned the lot to its original condition. Despite what team earned enough points to take a top spot, all participants had the opportunity to showcase their skills and learn a lot from the experience.”
Hamilton Heights sent four teams of three students per team. Two teams were comprised of upper-class students, and two teams were comprised of freshmen and sophomore students. At the end of the day, the team comprised of Jake Drummond, Kendall Flanders, and Nate Williams won first place and the team comprised of Isabel Morrow, Ethan Halverson, and Logan Hickman placed third.
“I am really proud of our students,” Sheets added. “They put an incredible amount of time into preparing for every possible scenario prior to this hands-on competition and it showed. Ryan Swingley (ESP Associates), who served as the onsite surveyor for Heights, said our boys know about hard work and have a lot of passion for it. He was spot on. They have passion, take ownership, learn from past successes and mistakes and are competitive. All our teams worked hard and showed they know their stuff in this field.”
“It was great to see the students take a math principal, the Pythagorean Theorem (A² + B² = C²) and bring it to life in a real-world application,” said Ryan Swingley with ESP Associates, and a director of the Indiana Society of Professional Land Surveyors (ISPLS). “It was a win for everyone involved. For students, the event gave them the opportunity to move dirt with a specific purpose. They utilized their classroom instruction and optical and laser measuring equipment to know how much material to move to make the pad perfectly level. For surveyors, the event was a unique opportunity to take students to the next level – show them what surveyors do.”
Junior Ethan Halverson, who is interested in a career in the trades, said the event really sparked his interest in the civil construction industry – specifically asphalt roadwork.
“I felt prepared, my team was prepared to handle whatever came our way, and at the end of the day, we did well,” said Halverson, whose team placed first in this year’s competition.
“It was a great experience,” said junior Isabel Morrow, who is interested in pursuing a career as a residential electrician. “It wasn’t your average off-site school function. It was a cool experience serving as a leader, working with our coaches, and interacting with the industry professionals. It also opened my eyes to careers in the heavy equipment industry.”
Morrow’s leadership and work in the field was noticed. After the event, she was approached by an industry professional offering up an opportunity to work as a project manager for a local construction company.
“This competition was a great way for students to showcase their skills and highlight what is taking place in the civil construction pathway program in school districts across the state,” said Emily Bay, Marketing Manager for Rieth-Riley Construction, Co., who has been helping to grow this pathway at Hamilton Heights for the past four years. “This competition drew in the top players from the industry, teachers from other schools, and contractors there in support of this event which is expected to grow in size and scope in the years to come. It was exciting to see the students who were able to participate this year take the lead, handle equipment, and work as a team to manage a project. It’s a great path forward in our industry for students looking for good paying jobs with great career opportunities beyond graduation. With the new federal infrastructure bill there will be even more opportunities in the heavy highway industry well into the future.”
Hamilton Heights’ Logan Hickman is pictured in the Track Steer moving dirt to the site they are to spec to a certain dimension and width. Heights’ Isabel Morrow and Ethan Halverson help guide him where to place the dirt at the Golden Shovel Competition. (Photo provided)
Tate Blackketter, Project Manager for GRADEX, enjoyed the opportunity to Coach Hamilton Heights’ Team 2 at the first Golden Shovel Competition.
“It was very exciting to be a part of this event,” said Blackketter, who hopes to be considered as a coach for one of Heights’ teams next year.
Blackketter first got involved with Heights after he learned about the district’s outdoor classroom, the Sandbox. At just 24, Blackketter, backed by a degree in Building Construction Management from Purdue University, is extremely passionate about the civil construction field.
“When I was in high school, I didn’t have any exposure to this field or heavy equipment operation so giving it a spotlight is important because it is as critical to our infrastructure as any other type of construction,” Blackketter explained. “It is rewarding to work with students at both the high school and college level helping them learn about the many avenues for a worthwhile and meaningful career with or without a college education.”
Junior Cooper Doucette, a student in Sheets’ Civil Construction class, attended the event with other classmates, said, “It was pretty cool to watch the teams operate the different machines and work together to prepare the site to the specs given. I learned a lot from just being there, watching, and talking to the different professionals who were there.”
Hamilton Heights’ Jack Drummond is pictured determining the benchmark height with coach Eric Holmes (Rieth-Riley). Heights’ Nate Williams is in the background laying down the border lines. (Photo provided)
James Zachary, also a junior in the same class who also attended the event, agreed.
“It was cool,” Zachary said. “One of the professionals at the event, Ryan Swingley, had a connection to a local surveying company that may have an opportunity for an internship over the summer.”
“We owe a great debt of gratitude to our industry partners who have played a major role in helping our students grow their skill and knowledge in the trades,” Sheets said. “They have been engaged, involved, and present in our classroom and at the Sandbox. They share their time, equipment, and expertise and it is paying big dividends in enhancing the educational value of our students. Chad Flanders (Beaty Construction), Eric Holmes (Rieth-Riley Construction, Co., Inc.), Ryan Swingley (ESP Associates, Inc.), and Tate Blackketter (Gradex) are a few of our industry partners who have been outstanding mentors and attended competition.”