Sitting pretty
Schools
The unveiling of a creative community project in July was a proud moment for St Patrick’s Technical College, Edinburgh North, Year 12 students.
The impressive mosaic couch was constructed in collaboration with the One Tree Hill Progress Association.
“They approached us about it, and we jumped at the chance to be involved,” said Vin Hatcher, leader of Learning – Design and Technology.
As part of the Sampson Flat Bushfire Recovery program, Northern Adelaide Hills communities developed the project for locals affected by the 2015 fires to come together, share stories and physically build something to acknowledge their townships.
For students, it was significant in building relationships and further developing construction trade skills, including brick laying and cement rendering.
“It was great for the students to be so involved in community engagement,” Mr Hatcher said. “It’s not just pretending, it’s real. You’ve got a customer to work for. When you’re trying to teach that entrepreneurial mindset, students need to know that you’re going to have to deal with customers and all sorts of different groups of people. That’s a skill in itself.”
In preparation for onsite work in the Adelaide Hills, students created two single seater couches at the college to practice their skills.
“It’s one thing to lay a brick wall, it’s another thing to build a brick couch that is comfortable,” Mr Hatcher said.
“They rendered it with plaster to make a smooth surface for the mosaics design to go on.”
A Community Development and Event Grant from the City of Playford helped support the construction of the bench. The mosaics were designed and created by volunteers from the One Tree Hill Progress Association.
The colourful result depicts local flora and fauna, historic images of the town and the famous bullock team pulling a dray.
“The students got a lot out of the process,” Mr Hatcher said. “They learned technical skills, got practical experience and gained knowledge. They had to think about equipment, tools, materials, and logistical things like risk assessment, and access to water, electricity and toilets at the site. They also got the satisfaction of looking at the finished project and saying, ‘we did that’.”
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