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BRITTNEY CARTER holds a prize from the group's week at Sawgrass -- a TPC flag.
By By ANNE C. HEYMEN, Staff |
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Coming some day to a lawn near you -- Lawns R Us.
At least that's the plan for Brittney Carter, a junior at the First Coast Technical High School, and Chad DeVoe, a sophomore at St. Augustine High School.
The two, enrolled in the agriscience and natural resources program at the First Coast Technical Center, are looking to the great outdoors for their eventual life's work, and DeVoe has already picked out the name.
To get a taste of what it's like to work outdoors, the two were part of a group of about 60 teens and adults who traveled to Ponte Vedra Beach last week to lend a helping hand at Sawgrass in preparation for this week's Players Championship.
This is the 14th year that students from the agriscience and natural resources program have helped out and put their school learning to use.
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STUDENTS from the FCTI agriscience and natural resources program, from left, Fletcher Smith, Chris Rhoden and Richard Long tend to flowers on the school's campus.
By By ANNE C. HEYMEN, Staff |
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They are all enrolled in the sports and recreational turf management program under the direction of Eddie Lambert, with high school students dividing their school days between academic classes and sessions at FCTI.
Students performed a number of tasks at the golf course, mainly spreading pine straw around flower beds.
"It was interesting. It was different," said Chris Rhoden, a sophomore at St. Augustine High School.
The group included students from St. Augustine High School, First Coast Technical High School, Pedro Menendez High School, Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind, Clay High School and adults. About 33 students per day worked at the golf course from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Pitching in all five days were Carter, DeVoe, Rhoden, Richard Long, a SAHS junior, and Fletcher Smith, a sophomore at SAHS.
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CHAD DEVOE gets in some practice mowing the greens at the First Coast Technical Institute's golf course.
By By ANNE C. HEYMEN, Staff |
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"It was fun to learn about landscaping," Carter noted.
"Eddie is a wonderful teacher," she added. "Tell them I said that."
A perk for volunteering at Sawgrass was a pass good for one day during The Players Championship. All are looking forward to checking out the event.
DeVoe was particularly impressed with all the equipment used to keep the golf course in top form, and Smith learned that maintaining a facility like that "ain't no joke," he quipped.
"It's serious business," DeVoe agreed.
The alternative class site is set up yearly with Fred Klauk at Sawgrass, said Lambert.
Students learn employability skills, etiquette and the aesthetic value of a golf course, he said.
During the last 14 years, a number of students, said Lambert, have gone into the business, working their way up through the ranks. One started in golf course maintenance and has gone on to work for Lesco Corporation, a fertilizer chemical company.
In contrast to Carter and DeVoe, who want to open Lawns R Us when they complete their schooling, others of the group who worked the five days aren't really sure what they want to do.
"Irrigation" is one possibility at which Long is looking.
Rhoden, on the other hand, thinks he might like to do underwater welding.
The classes in the agriscience department are open to teens and adults, Lambert said.
"There is such a demand in Florida for skilled employees in our industry," Jim Brogden, FCTI instructor recently told Merlene Thomas, FCTI marketing specialist. "If not with golf courses, one may become involved with the many ball fields in our area, as well as the NASCAR circuit.
"Each time Dale Earnhardt Jr. spins doughnuts in the Daytona infield or Michael Waltrip flips and tears up the turf, that means more money for someone employed in the turf grass business," he told Thomas.
The next classes in which individuals can enroll at FCTI will be this summer and fall. For information, call 824-4401.
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