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El Aguacate School Project

Joyabaj, Guatemala 

The El Aguacate school project involved the design and construction of a confined masonry schoolhouse with a handwashing station in Guatemala. Located in the Mayan community of El Aguacate, the project directly impacts 120 students and 4 teachers seeking greater capacity and a safe/sustainable learning environment.  The school project is a direct result of the pedestrian bridge the Marquette chapter built in El Aguacate in August of 2017. The bridge project's main goal was to help children get to school safely. The bridge succeeded, and attendance at the school increased, leading to the need for more classrooms. Currently, the school offers grades first through sixth and the class is held in five existing classrooms. With the addition of three new classrooms, the school plans to add kindergarten to the curriculum. Moreover, children will be removed from an old, structurally unstable classroom, increasing the safety of their learning environment. Lastly, a handwashing station will allow students to wash their hands before eating and after going to the restroom as well as help promote proper hygiene within the community. In all, a new school building will benefit an additional 90 students, aiding the future development of the community as a whole.

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Engineers without Borders Marquette partnered with the community of El Aguacate and Engineers without Borders USA-Guatemala back in May of 2016 for the pedestrian bridge the Marquette chapter built-in 2017. The school project began in the summer of 2018 with a team investigating and collecting information at the proposed site location. A topographical survey of the site was collected and soil samples were brought back for analysis. The design phase consisted of determining the structure type and architectural design. Professional mentors ensured each step was done properly and those design specifications met professional industry standards. Implementation occurred in two phases with construction completed in October of 2019.

Over 20 Marquette engineering students of varying ages and majors collaborated with five professional mentors to develop skills related to geotechnical, structural, electrical, and construction engineering. This project provided an excellent forum for all engineering students and professionals involved to learn more about sustainability, communication, and construction in developing countries.  

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More information regarding this specific project can found by contacting the project leads

Noah Meisner (noah.meisner@marquette.edu) and Luke Kazmer (lucas.kazmer@marquette.edu)

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