Students on the job building new dugouts

Carpentry and masonry students are busy building two new dugouts on the boys’ JV baseball field. They began surveying the area two months ago, then poured concrete foundations, mixed mortar and are now building the block walls. 

Carpentry Teachers Earl Corr, Mike Sandlin and John Lavigne, and MasonryTeacher Lee Gastonguay are overseeing 20 juniors and seniors on the project. As winter looms and they race to build the walls, students are hoping for further cooperation from mother nature. “There is a sense of urgency,” Mr. Corr said.

Students at the site quickly shoveled sand delivered by a backhoe to backfill one dugout while on the other side of the field, masonry students laid out block to build walls. “As it gets colder, we may have to build the wooden structures inside in pieces and then bring them out,” Mr. Corr said.

This is the third set of dugouts students have built at Whittier Tech in recent years. “It’s great to be able to spend the day working outside,” said Senior Tom Benedetti. “It’s satisfying to be able to start and finish a project that will be used by athletes and coaches for many years.”

The project was made possible in part by a generous donation from Joset Corporation, a general contracting company in Ipswich who donated hardware and the use of their concrete pouring forms.

On the job are: Carpentry Juniors George Shionis, Ethan Rousseau, Joe Cahill, Jordan Flete, Nathan Angus , Serena Muniz, Carlos Martinez, Angel Hernandez, all of Haverhill, Chase Germaine of Groveland, Julian Hallahan of Merrimac, and Tyler Stanton of Ipswich. Seniors Tom Benedetti, Manny Garcia, Jenna Keefe, Yurig Buttrick, Yuris Martinez and Desiree Michaud all of Haverhill, Garrett Girard of West Newbury, Mia Greco of Ipswich, and Julia Matos of Groveland.

Masonry students Jonathan Caron, Adam Correia, Michael Doucette, Shaylee Lavallee, Shannon Loh, Kayla MacNeil, Kyle McCoy, Christopher McNulty, Lauren Powers, Griffen Rogers, Riley Spring, Matthew Nunez, Xavier Valdivieso, Edward Fernandez and Hector Valentin.