Progress on the Prairie Plains Education Center made a big leap forward last week thanks to a hardworking group of local volunteers and the Trades and Industries class at Aurora High School. The group worked together using Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) to construct the foundation walls of the Center. Concrete was poured into the forms on Wednesday.

“This is a huge step in our construction process,” noted Bill Whitney of Prairie Plains. “We’ve been hoping to get people involved in the project through volunteer opportunities, and the construction of the foundation was a good start. We had seven volunteers with a lot of construction experience and seeing them work together with the kids from the high school was great.”

Students enrolled in the Trades and Industries class visited the site two consecutive days and helped assemble the insulated forms and build bracing to support and level the walls. “This was a great example of hands-on learning,” according to instructor Scott Jones. “ICF is a relatively new process that isn’t covered in textbooks. Being at the site and having the chance to help build the walls provided the students with valuable real-life work experience.”

The roof of a barn located on Larry Sands's farm near Marquette will be placed on the foundation over the coming winter months. Once construction is completed the Center will include kitchen, bathrooms, meeting/conference rooms and classrooms with lab space. The building will provide space for Prairie Plains's events and educational activities and well as for public use for weddings, family reunions and corporate retreats. For more information about the project or to volunteer for future work projects at the Center please phone 694-5535.