Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
    Date: 10/25/99
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple   68

Editors: Photos accompany release   Please note local interest       
SLU STUDENTS BUILD TRIKE TRAIL FOR HEAD START PRESCHOOLERS
     HAMMOND -- Thanks to Southeastern Louisiana University industrial technology
students, the children at the Southeastern Head Start program can learn about bicycle safety
before they even try out training wheels.
     Members of Southeastern's award-winning chapter of the National Association of
Industrial Technology recently volunteered to build a tricycle path for the preschool's
approximately 100 students. 
     The five-foot wide, 250-long concrete path winds its way around the playground of the
facility, which opened on Southeastern's North Campus in January to serve the youngsters of
Southeastern students and the community. Industrial technology professor and NAIT adviser
Michael Beauvais said another student chapter, the American Society of Safety Engineers, plans
to equip the trail with crossing markers and stop and yield signs, to outfit the kids with safety
helmets and to teach them bicycle safety.
     Beauvais said that research show "that 85 percent of bicycle injuries are the result of
improper use of bikes and that safety needs to start when children are very, very young."
     In addition to the trike path, the student and parent workers also built the form for a
basketball court and installed posts to string safety chains around swing sets. 
     Beauvais' students began work on the tricycle path on Thursday, Oct. 29, driving 500-600
stakes to build the concrete form. Work continued through the weekend. Beauvais said the
materials and equipment to build the path were donated by area merchants such as Lafarge
Corporation, Tycer Ready Mix and Frank A. Anzalone General Contractors, Inc.
     "It was a real community project," Beauvais said.
     Southastern Head Start Director Susan Cooper was all but speechless in her enthusiasm
for the project. "If you could see the children....," she said. "It's a terrific sight to behold. Theyare
absolutely enjoying it. This is a wonderful addition to our playground."
                             (MORE)
HEAD START TRIKE TRACK   Add One
     Cooper said she has estimated that the industrial technology students and area businesses
contributed approximately $3,000 in donated time and materials. "It was a real team effort," she
said, praising the students. "They worked in the rain on Sunday. They just worked!"
     The youngsters got to show off the new track to a special visitor on Nov. 8, when Astrid
Fischel, vice president of Costa Rica, stopped by Southeastern Head Start while on a campus and
community tour. 
     The weekend playground construction boom was not the only project that industrial
technology students have tackled for Southeastern Head Start, however. Students in Beauvais'
"Construction Surveying" class have also surveyed the facility to produce field verification
drawings that the preschool will need for expansion. 
     Students used "all the things they've learned this semester," said Beauvais, to survey the
facility and create a drawing of the physical plant. 
     Since the preschool's population has already expanded to include a class for infants, it's
prudent to be prepared to grow, Cooper said.

CUTLINES ...
SURVEYING FOR GROWTH -- Southeastern Louisiana University industrial technology
students Riki Reed of Hammond, left, and Sean McKisson of Baton Rouge survey the physical
plant of Southeastern Head Start to gather information for a set of field verification drawings for
the facility on the university's North Campus. During October, Southeastern students have
reached out to the preschool to prepare the drawings, which are needed for physical expansion,
and to build a tricycle safety path and basketball court and install safety chains around swings.

TRAIL FOR TRIKES -- Southeastern Louisiana University industrial technology professor
Mike Beauvais, far left, and members of Southeastern's student chapter of the National
Association of Industrial Technology have built a tricycle path they volunteered for the youngsters
at Southeastern Head Start. With Beauvais, from left, are Steven Larson, Gabe Garenflo, Claire
Beauvais, Gina Garenflo, John Murray, Rusty Jacob and Denny Larson.
                            - SLU -
Press release available on the World Wide Web:
www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf99.htm