Mr. Clark has been a construction educator at Clear Creek Amana for 44 years. Two of the classes he currently teaches are Constructive Materials Processing and Intro to ACE (Architecture, Construction, and Engineering).

Although the classrooms are located at the Middle school, he teaches both middle and high school students. Middle school students take exploratory classes and learn basic construction techniques and construct projects such as a basket or sleigh. While high school students can take construction classes that further fine tune their construction skills but also apply what they have learned from other classes. Students design plans, read plans, measure using fractions and math skills, work with others, problem-solve, and effectively communicate.

Current high school classes are working on 9 large wooden planters to be used at other Clear Creek Amana Schools for planting. They are designed so the CCA Buildings and Grounds team can move them around with a forklift.

Students taking the high school courses are on the course for construction or manufacturing career tracks for current or emerging occupations of various trades. Students in 11th and 12th grades can take Kirkwood dual credit classes and get involved with the apprenticeship program.

Aiden Tomas is a junior and has been in ACE since his freshman year. Aiden is interested in trades like welding or construction framing. He says the classes have taught him more about measuring properly, using different tools, cutting wood and more. Aiden has been involved with several district projects like the outdoor classroom and garden located at the middle school and the planter boxes. Aiden plans to attend the Kirkwood dual credit classes his senior year.

Parker Johnson is a junior and has been in ACE since his sophomore year and also attends the ACE Academy at Kirkwood. Parker is interested in trade work after graduating but still exploring which track to follow. He has learned about construction safety, tape measure reading, and learned how to use many different machines while taking the construction classes. He has interests in being a diesel mechanic, auto body technician, or construction or concrete work. Regardless of the trade Parker follows, he knows the classes he is taking will prepare him for lifelong skills he can use to build a gun cabinet someday or repair and build other projects for himself. Parker helped with various projects at CCA which included repairing and rebuilding backboard stretchers for the Amana Elementary Swimming Pool and the gazebo at the middle school outdoor classroom.

Reese Hoffman is a senior and has been in ACE since his freshman year. He has taken all of Mr. Clark’s construction classes. Although he is not sure what he wants to do after graduation, he is confident the skills he has learned will be skills he can use the rest of his life. He mentioned the importance of learning basic skills to learning more specifics about various machines, safety, and measuring.