We celebrated National Take Your Daughters and Sons to Work Day at E&A on April 26! Many of our E&A employees brought their children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews into the office to enjoy a day filled with fun activities.
They day started with donuts and a brief overview about our lives here at E&A. Then Kyle Vohl, one of our civil engineering Project Managers, taught the basics of bridge design using a paper bridge challenge. The children had to make a paper bridge that was strong enough to support a toy car. The gap they were spanning continued to get deeper and farther away, challenging them to come up with new ways to get their car safely across.
Civil Engineer Caleb Beasley’s daughter Yelena, 3rd grade, said she learned some cool things during the morning activities. “We learned about engineering and building things. I liked the video about the pipes where the excavator fell in the hole because they did not build it right!”
Next, one of our survey Project Managers, John Von Dollen, demonstrated the equipment that E&A uses on job sites, like our drone! And Construction Administration Department Manager Randy Pierce taught about grading, sanitary/storm sewers and pavement construction. The children really enjoyed learning about the construction equipment too. Then members of our planning team, Kyle Haase, Nickie Napierala and Matt Tiarks talked to them about their department and helped them to make their own concrete stepping stones.
Another of Caleb Beasley’s daughters, Elise, 4th grade, also enjoyed her day at the office. “I liked building the paper bridges, they were a fun experiment! I also liked looking at the drone and watching the videos on the cool wall computer (screen projector).”
Civil Engineering Technician Danny Kaven and CADD Manager Bob Florence demonstrated some of E&A’s computer capabilities, including some of our modeling software. Together they used a set of plans to rescue a puppy from a storm sewer.
The day ended with a pizza lunch shared with their parents, grandparents and aunts and uncles who work at E&A.
Accountant Sandi Grace’s grand-daughter, Joslyn, 5th grade, said she really enjoyed making paper bridges and decorating her own concrete stepping stone. When we asked her what she thought of her Grandma’s office she said, “It’s pretty cool here!”