BOSTON, MA – In the middle of a boisterous elementary school lunchroom, two fifth grade classmates sit at a communal lunch table, sifting through a pile of 52 colorful Lego shapes. Each student has her designated role. The Manager reads aloud from the instruction manual. The Builder listens closely, selects two pieces, and carefully clicks them together. With a little help from an adult volunteer, the collaborative build takes shape. From these small Lego pieces – rectangles, hydraulics, and wheels – emerges a working skid-steer loader, complete with a working knob and arm that lifts the shovel.

This is an example of the imaginative and collaborative process we know as construction project management.

For the third year, employees from Siena Construction joined forces with construction industry colleagues as part of the Associated General Contractors of Massachusetts’ (AGCMA) Adopt-a-School event. The program connects local construction professionals with elementary school students to raise awareness of STEM careers in traditionally underrepresented communities.

On Friday February 28th, volunteers from several Boston-area construction firms shared their knowledge and expertise with eager 4th and 5th graders at three Boston Public Schools: Brighton’s Edison Elementary School; Mattapan’s Mattahunt Elementary School; and East Boston’s Umana Academy.

Students participated in fun and informative activities – including the Lego building project – as well as an introduction to drone technology, and bilingual roundtable talks. Children’s author Courtney Kelly also facilitated a discussion around her construction-based illustrated book Celeste Tunnels Underground. New this year, the program also introduced the students to the importance of clean energy via a sustainability-based Bingo game.

Adopt-a-School is led by the AGC’s Committee for Diversity and Inclusion (CFDI), organized by CFDI Chair Darlene Conners. The mission of the CFDI is to inspire construction companies to create a culture of sustainable business practices that promote supplier diversity. The Edison planning committee included Shawmut’s Amanda Hester, and Siena’s Director of Learning & Development Jess Baccari; AGCMA’s Lisa Frisbie was the school liaison.

“Hands-on workshops help students understand what really goes on in construction sites past the scrim fence,” Jess said. “By engaging with schools that may not have the resources for these types of activities, we can help the students find their passions, and attract more diverse talent in the pipeline of construction.”

In addition to Jess’ leadership role, Siena’s volunteers included President Terrence Hayes, Director of Business Development Philip Pavlovich, and Accountant Karen Reed.

Team Siena left truly inspired by the students’ curiosity, thoughtful engagement, and enthusiastic teamwork. “It is a great day when you can help open the eyes of children to a new world in a fun and meaningful way,” said Philip Pavlovich.

President Terrence Hayes reflected on the positive community connections built through Adopt-a-School.

“With many Boston Public Schools situated in urban environments, Adopt-a-School presents a good opportunity to establish a connection between the construction that students see every day and the processes that make these projects a reality,” Terrence said.

“Whether it involves the construction of a new building or a smaller hands-on project in a classroom setting, the underlying processes are comparable. The exercises encourage planning, collaboration, coordination, and a sense of accomplishment with having achieved a successful outcome.”

The event was a great way to collaborate with professionals across the construction industry. Siena’s volunteers were joined by counterparts from Shawmut Construction, Gilbane Building, TG Gallagher, Consigli Construction, Starlite Building Services, and Marsh McLennan. ARC Document Solutions generously donated the print materials.

Siena’s volunteer Karen Reed summed it up simply: “We cannot wait for next year!”