Drafting /CAD students from Blue Hills Regional use their technical skills to assist longtime Milton resident

Shown in photo above are, left to right:

Drafting / CAD Lead Teacher Michael K. Sheehan, with Blue Hills Regional Drafting / CAD students Grayson Terry (Canton), Xavier Amaro (Randolph), Christopher Bradley (Braintree), homeowner June Elam-Mooers, Robert White (Randolph), Ethan Perez (Milton), Nate Newman (Norwood), and Chloe Griffin (Avon).

Photo by Judy Bass

By Judy Bass

When you think of a group of high school students setting off together, you would probably assume that they are headed for a day of enjoyment or possibly embarking on a field trip. On a balmy day this summer, however, seven students from the Class of 2017 at Blue Hills Regional Technical School in Canton took a jaunt to Milton (which is one of the school’s nine district towns) for a very different reason, one that involved using the professional skills they acquired in the Drafting / CAD program to assist a longtime Milton resident. Their excursion also showed that the school, its students and instructors are very much a part of Blue Hills Regional’s distinct communities.

Students Grayson Terry (Canton), Xavier Amaro (Randolph), Christopher Bradley (Braintree), Robert White (Randolph), Ethan Perez (Milton), Nate Newman (Norwood), and Chloe Griffin (Avon), accompanied by Drafting / CAD Lead Teacher Michael K. Sheehan, traveled to the home of June Elam-Mooers at 17 Hallen Avenue in Milton. Built in 1958, the home has just over 1,800 square feet of space and is situated on a lot of slightly less than one acre in a well-tended, picturesque suburban neighborhood.

It had been suggested to Ms. Elam-Mooers by a representative from the Milton Department of Zoning that she contact Blue Hills Regional to see if the school’s Drafting students could assist her by creating floor plans so she could have the status of her residence changed from a single-family dwelling to a two-family (family dwelling with mother-in-law apartment).

The students eagerly got to work upon their arrival at the Hallen Avenue address where Ms. Elam-Mooers has lived for 45 years. Photos of the rooms were taken, the rooms were precisely measured, and sketches were then made from this information.

For the students, who completed their assignment with professionalism and purpose, it was a learning experience that enhanced what they had studied in the classroom. According to Mr. Sheehan, the time his students spent at Ms. Elam-Mooers’ home helped them to communicate effectively with a client, see how they can use their abilities to perform community service, and hone their skills in measuring, sketching and teamwork at an actual job site.

Ms. Elam-Mooers was quick to express her sincere gratitude to Mr. Sheehan and his students, who were, in her words, “as welcome as flowers in May” for generously spending their time and using their knowledge to help her. “It means the world to me,” she said. “If I had to hire professional drafting people, I couldn’t have afforded to do it.”