Students help power park

Pennsylvania College of Technology electrical students powered their education throughout the fall semester by employing their skills at a regional park.

The 15 second-semester students, including Erik C. Huey, Frenchtown, N.J., and Ryan S. Pellow, Perkasie, installed electrical service at Lime Bluff Recreation Area in Hughesville. What began in the heat of August ended in December’s chill as the students worked about five hours a week at the complex.

“The work they did can’t be replicated in the lab due to the nature of it,” said Joseph R. Raup, instructor of electrical technology/occupations and teacher of the Construction Lab II-Commercial course charged with the project. “We don’t have the area to do the trenching and the underground type of work.”

Such work was required at the 62-acre park. The students – seeking an associate degree in electrical technology – fit most of the approximately 2,000 feet of conduit underground before pulling through about a mile of electrical wire. Connecting the wire to two transformers and panels also installed by the students delivered the electric service long sought by the East Lycoming Recreation Authority, which oversees the park.

Thanks to the students, one pavilion and a maintenance building have power and LED lighting. Electric service for the park’s other two pavilions will be completed by another Penn College class during the spring semester.

The college’s involvement with the approximately $35,000 grant-funded project began over a year ago when students in the Electrical Drawing and Print Reading course – taught by Eric W. Newcomer, lecturer of electrical technologies/occupations – crafted drawings and blueprints of the proposed electrical system for permitting purposes.