Alan Jeffrey
Bellville Construction Coordinator
Room Number: Construction Room
Email: ajeffrey@bellvillebrahmas.org
Meeting dates, times, and location still need to be confirmed with Mr. Jeffrey.
The BHS Construction Trades program gives students hands-on experience with construction, woodworking, electrical wiring, tools, and jobsite safety. Under the guidance of Alan Jeffrey, students develop practical trade skills while completing class projects and building useful items for teachers and school programs.
- Woodworking and construction projects
- Electrical wiring and basic electrical skills
- Shelves, tables, furniture, and other builds
- Projects completed for teachers and school programs
- Planning, measuring, and reading project designs
- Safe use of hand and power tools
- Material selection and cost estimation
- Project design, construction, and finishing
- Problems encountered and solutions developed
- Individual craftsmanship and team projects
- Construction-trades competitions and results
- Career preparation and industry skills
- Certifications, awards, and student accomplishments
- Completed projects and major milestones
Covering the Bellville Construction Beat
Start Here
- Introduce yourself to Mr. Jeffrey and explain that you are covering Construction Trades for the BVP Newsroom.
- Ask how he prefers to be contacted and how far in advance interviews, photography, or video coverage should be arranged.
- Ask what students are currently designing, building, wiring, repairing, or installing.
- Request a list of planned projects, important deadlines, and anticipated completion dates.
- Ask which projects are being completed for teachers, classrooms, or school programs.
- Find out which construction-trades competition the program enters, which events students compete in, and when competitions occur.
- Ask when reporters may enter the construction room and what safety rules they must follow.
- Check regularly with Mr. Jeffrey for project updates and possible stories.
- Submit possible stories as pitches before beginning full coverage unless your teacher tells you otherwise.
Your Responsibilities
- Check for Construction Trades updates at least once each news cycle.
- Track projects from planning and material selection through construction, installation, and completion.
- Watch for challenging builds, creative solutions, major milestones, competition preparation, and student accomplishments.
- Identify the students responsible for design, measuring, cutting, assembly, wiring, finishing, and installation.
- Look for projects that solve a problem or benefit a teacher, classroom, organization, or campus facility.
- Pitch promising stories to the newsroom.
- Arrange interviews, photography, and video coverage in advance.
- Confirm measurements, materials, costs, project purposes, completion status, and competition results before publication.
- Photograph the process—not only the finished product.
- Follow up after projects and competitions for results, reactions, and information about what comes next.
Important
A project that has been discussed or started is not necessarily approved, finished, or ready for use. Clearly distinguish between a proposed project, an approved project, work in progress, and a completed installation. Confirm the project’s status and intended use with Mr. Jeffrey before publication.
The construction room contains power tools, sharp objects, electrical components, moving equipment, and active work areas. Wear required protective equipment, remain in approved areas, and follow Mr. Jeffrey’s instructions. Never touch tools, materials, wiring, or unfinished projects without permission.
Until the competition program is confirmed, refer to it only as a construction-trades competition. Verify the organization, event name, judging requirements, results, and student advancement with Mr. Jeffrey before reporting them.
Reporting Your Bellville Construction Stories
Possible Story Ideas
- Students begin designing a new construction project
- The class builds shelves, tables, furniture, or storage for a school program
- Students complete and install a project on campus
- A teacher or organization requests a custom build
- Students learn to use a new tool, material, or construction method
- The class begins a woodworking or electrical-wiring project
- A student masters an important trade skill
- Students solve an unexpected design or construction problem
- The original plan changes during construction
- A project reaches an important milestone
- Students prepare for a construction-trades competition
- Competition results and student advancement
- A student earns an industry certification
- A local contractor or tradesperson works with the class
- Students explore construction careers, apprenticeships, or training programs
- The program receives new tools, equipment, or materials
- A completed project makes a visible improvement to the school
Signs There May Be A Story
Pay attention when:
- Mr. Jeffrey introduces a new project
- A teacher or school program requests something to be built
- Students begin measuring, cutting, assembling, wiring, or installing
- The class uses a new tool, material, or technique
- A project presents an unexpected problem
- Students must revise the original design
- A student develops a creative solution
- A project reaches the assembly, finishing, or installation stage
- A completed project is delivered to its recipient
- Students begin preparing for a competition
- A student earns a certification, award, or recognition
- A project requires unusually precise or difficult work
- Students work together on a large or complicated build
- A visitor or industry professional works with the class
- The program completes something Bellville has not built before
Questions to Ask: The 5 W's and 1 H
You will not necessarily ask every question below. Select the questions that fit your story and ask follow-up questions whenever an answer is unclear or incomplete.
Who was involved?
- Which students worked on the project?
- Who designed or planned it?
- Who requested the project?
- Who was responsible for measuring, cutting, wiring, assembly, or finishing?
- Were teachers, administrators, contractors, or community partners involved?
- Who approved the design and completed project?
- Who will use or benefit from it?
What happened?
- What was designed, built, repaired, wired, or installed?
- What problem or need was the project intended to address?
- What materials and tools were used?
- What responsibilities did each student have?
- What trade skills did students practice?
- What problems occurred during construction?
- What changed from the original plan?
- What was completed?
- What still needs to be done?
When did it happen?
- When was the project requested or assigned?
- When did planning and construction begin?
- How long did the project take?
- What deadlines did students have to meet?
- When was the project completed or installed?
- When will it be used?
- When will the competition or next project occur?
Where did it happen?
- Where was the project designed and built?
- Where was it installed or delivered?
- Which classroom, teacher, organization, or campus area will use it?
- Where will students compete?
- Where can students see the completed project?
- Where were materials or design ideas obtained?
Why does it matter?
- Why was this project needed?
- Why was this design selected?
- Why were particular materials or methods used?
- Why did the original plan need to change?
- What did students learn from the project?
- How will the finished project benefit the school?
- Why is the skill valuable in the construction industry?
- Why was this accomplishment meaningful to the students?
How did it happen?
- How was the project planned and designed?
- How were measurements and material needs determined?
- How were responsibilities divided?
- How did students build, wire, assemble, or finish it?
- How did they test whether the project worked correctly?
- How did they solve problems or correct mistakes?
- How was the project funded?
- How was safety maintained?
- How will the project be maintained or repaired?
Questions for Students
- What part of the project were you responsible for?
- What tools or materials did you use?
- What skill did you learn or improve?
- What was the most difficult part?
- Did anything go wrong?
- How did you solve the problem?
- What changed from the original design?
- What safety procedures did you follow?
- What part of the completed work makes you most proud?
- Are you interested in a construction career?
- What would you do differently on your next project?
Questions for Mr. Jeffrey
- What was the purpose of this project?
- Who requested it?
- What skills were students expected to learn?
- How were responsibilities assigned?
- What safety rules applied?
- What standards did the finished project have to meet?
- How did students respond when problems developed?
- Is the project complete and approved for use?
- What competition program does the class participate in?
- What comes next for the students or project?
Questions for the Recipient
- Why did you request this project?
- What problem or need does it address?
- How will it be used?
- Were students given particular requirements?
- How does the completed project compare with what you envisioned?
- What does the students’ work mean to your class or program?
People You May Need to Interview
Depending on the story, consider interviewing:
- Construction Trades instructor Alan Jeffrey
- Students who designed the project
- Students responsible for measuring and planning
- Students who performed the woodworking or assembly
- Students responsible for electrical wiring
- Students who completed the finishing or installation
- The teacher or organization that requested the project
- Students who will use the completed item
- Administrators who approved the project
- Contractors or tradespeople who assisted the class
- Students preparing for or participating in competition
- Students earning certifications, awards, or recognition
Do not interview only Mr. Jeffrey. Include the students who performed the work and the person or group that will use the completed project.
For team projects, identify each student’s actual contribution instead of giving all credit to one person.
What You Need to Collect
Before writing or producing the story, collect:
- Complete and correctly spelled names
- Each student’s grade level
- Each student’s role or responsibility
- The project’s official name or description
- The person or program that requested it
- The purpose of the project
- The date work began and the completion date
- The project’s current stage
- Original plans, sketches, measurements, or requirements
- Materials, tools, and construction methods used
- Information about costs or donated materials when relevant
- Safety procedures followed
- Problems encountered and solutions developed
- Changes made to the original design
- Information about who will use the finished project
- Official competition names, events, dates, and results when applicable
- At least one useful quote from a student
- At least one useful quote from Mr. Jeffrey
- A quote from the project’s recipient when appropriate
- Photographs or video showing several stages of construction
- Photographs of the completed and installed project
- Identification of everyone shown in photographs
- Confirmation that the project is complete and approved for use
Before You Leave
Ask yourself:
- Do I have the correct spelling of every name?
- Do I know each student’s grade level and responsibility?
- Can I clearly explain what students built or repaired?
- Do I understand why the project was needed?
- Do I know who requested it and who will use it?
- Did I distinguish between a proposal, approved project, work in progress, and completed project?
- Can I explain the major stages of construction?
- Did I identify the tools, materials, and skills involved?
- Did I explain the problems students encountered and how they solved them?
- Did I interview students who performed different parts of the work?
- Do I have strong quotes—not merely “It was fun”?
- Have costs, measurements, deadlines, and competition results been confirmed?
- Do I know what happens next?
- Do I have photographs or video of both the process and finished product?
- Did I identify everyone shown in my photographs?
- Did I follow all shop-safety instructions?
- Did I avoid touching tools, materials, wiring, or unfinished work?
- Is there another student, recipient, tradesperson, or administrator I should interview?