Exterior view of the Westfield Technical Academy project house located at 33 Pontoosic Rd. in Westfield.
WESTFIELD – Anyone driving down Pontoosic Road in Westfield may notice a house going up right before the Southwick line. The difference with this one is that it’s being built by juniors and seniors from Westfield Technical Academy.
The project began in November, following approval by the School Committee, when WTA principal Joseph Langone and Construction Technology head teacher Matthew Gomes said the house would be a 3 bedroom ranch style custom home designed for the homeowners’ needs, that would bring in revenue for the program. Gomes said he drew the plans for the house along with the owners Mitch Bannish and Karen Bousquet.
Brian Roy, foreman of the Pontoosic Rd. project and a first year teacher at WTA with 37 years of experience in construction, said both juniors and seniors are working on the project. He said they have done all the framing and sheathing of the building, and will be putting shingles on the roof and double 4-inch vinyl siding, board and batten on the house. They’ve also put down floors, and are working on interior walls.
WTA teachers Brian Roy and Gary Martineau.
Roy said the students are responding well to the construction, both juniors and seniors. “Even the juniors have done a remarkable job,” Roy said.
On the job site Tuesday were the seniors, three of whom were on the roof finishing the plywood on the top row and setting the tape on the zip system to keep it weather tight, so construction can continue even in inclement weather.
Westfield Technical Academy student Roman Protsun is seen on the roof of the project home.
Climbing down from the roof for a lunch break, Roman Protsun, Tyler Starzyk and Cody Garwacki, who were tied in, carefully stepped down boards they had pre-arranged in a ramp system. Roy said teaching safety is a big part of the job.
“It’s a good experience – easier than I thought. We’ve had three years of preparation for this,” Roman Protsun said.
Westfield Technical Academy students working on the interior are, A. J. Onofrey and Sara Whalen.
Garwacki said he worked on the roof and interior walls, exterior walls and some of the flooring system. Roy said due to the size of the project, both classes were able to touch everything.
Joining them outside was the interior crew, including Sara Whalen, one of three girls in her class, but the only one on the site Tuesday. “It’s a lot of fun,” Whalen said.
“It’s an excellent learning experience, teaching you how to work right out of high school. It’s an alternative to college,” said Elijah White.
“Better than sitting in school,” added Slav Chekhovskiy.
The Westfield Technical Academy Senior Construction Crew: Sara Whalen, Elijah White, Slav Chekhovskiy, A. J. Onofrey, Roman Protsun, Cody Garwacki, Tyler Starzyk.
“The most fun project we’ve had at school,” said A.J. Onofrey
“It’s a great job for them, a great opportunity to have a project of this size with as many facets of construction,” Roy said about the crew.
When asked if construction is what she would like to continue after graduating, Sara Whalen said, “That or blueprinting.” Blueprinting is something Gomes had told the School Committee he wanted to introduce to the students when he showed his plans for the house.
Also on site on Tuesday were the seniors in Electrical Wiring, who were doing the layout of electrical outlets and lighting fixtures for the interior and the exterior of the house under teacher Gary Martineau.
As a group, the seniors said it was “a good experience,” “fun,” “the kind of stuff I want to do.”
Seniors from Westfield Technical Academy’s Electrical Wiring shop.
Martineau said a house is the best way for the students to learn. “You get to do home runs, not just three feet over,” Martineau said to the students. He said two years ago, they wired former school counselor Henry Bannish’s house, which stands behind the one they’re building now.
Martineau, who has taught at WTA for six years, said the Electrical Wiring shop does a lot for the city, wiring the pavilion on Park Square, the office of the municipal wastewater shop, and soon to be starting the new radio and community television station at WTA.
Martineau has also worked before with Roy at Saloomey Construction, where Roy served as Construction Supervisor, and told him about the job opening at WTA. “When (Brian) Falcetti retired, I figured he’d be a good fit,” Martineau said.
Roy said he worked with Martineau for many years. He said Martineau told him, “`I think you have the right temperament to be with kids and would be a great asset to the school,’ so I applied. I really like it a lot,” Roy said.
Also on the job site on Tuesday was Richard LaBay, the shop assistant in Construction Tech for 25 years, who also worked on the Gazebo (Park Square Pavilion) project. He said the last house they did was on the corner of Allen Avenue and Franklin Street, where they built a duplex seven years ago. He said it was a mirror duplex, and they had the juniors versus the seniors.
“Storms have hampered us big time. We’re a little behind schedule,” Roy said. He said the project will take until the end of the school year, and then they may be back in the fall. “We’re hoping, if the Bannish’s hold off, to be able to do the interior trim in the fall,” Roy said.
