Atlanta, GA – PBS&J’s 2010 Atlanta kidsclass (Computer Lab Adventure for Super Students) program recently graduated ten students from Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville, GA. The students, who completed six weeks of intensive computer training sessions, were rewarded with their very own computers.
The middle school students learned about engineering from instructor Chris Johnson, information technology manager at PBS&J’s Atlanta office. The students studied CAD and Microsoft computer programs, including Word, Excel, OneNote, Paint, and PowerPoint.
The kidsclass program taught the students about engineering by helping them to develop a plan to build a bridge in a fictional city. During the last class, students presented their individual plans for building the bridge, including justification as to why the bridge was needed, proposed designs, bridge capacity, and building plans. After students completed their presentations, they were surprised with a take-home gift of the computer they used during the class.
Each student was paired with a PBS&J employee mentor who volunteered to work one-on-one with them for six weeks. The mentors for the 2010 class were Lydia Candelaria, Eric Goodman, Kojo Atta, Kari Parramore, Harris Verdon, Tania Marino, Paul Moisan, and Elizabeth Rutledge.
The kidsclass program was first developed in Orlando, FL in 2001 and has since expanded to a national program with classes hosted annually in many of PBS&J’s 80 offices. The program is funded through The PBSJ Foundation, Inc.
About The PBSJ Foundation, Inc.
The PBSJ Corporation has a long-established tradition of giving back to the communities in which its employees live and work. As the company’s professional interests have expanded nationally, so has the opportunity to reach into more communities to make a difference. To maximize the benefit of these charitable efforts, and to evolve and elevate its philanthropic efforts, The PBSJ Foundation was established. This 501(c)(3) foundation provides the Corporation’s subsidiaries (PBS&J, Peter R. Brown Construction, Inc., and PBS&J International, Inc.) with the tools and the ability to further promote and support education, public charities focused on providing support for individuals, and communities impacted by natural and man-made disasters, and the interests and welfare of other public charities that have a tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3).
About PBS&J
PBS&J (www.pbsj.com) is an employee-owned company that provides infrastructure planning, engineering, construction management, architecture, and program management services to public and private clients. The firm is ranked by Engineering News-Record as 30th among the nation’s top consulting firms. PBS&J is a subsidiary of The PBSJ Corporation, a family of businesses which has nearly 3,600 employees and more than 80 offices across the United States and abroad.
