“Kevin is
one of our biggest supporters. He has responded when a call goes out to help us
fulfill our mission. He organizes and brings the Engineering Club members out
in force to really make a difference in our community,” noted SJHP Executive
Director Bill Lazar.
Davenport
has been organizing volunteer teams of students wearing shirts that say “Live Generously” to work on
SJHP projects for 14 years.
“The
volunteer experience not only offers students firsthand experience, but also
instills a culture of service that stays with many of them throughout their personal
and professional lives,” noted Davenport, a teacher at Creekside in the
Engineering and Environmental Science Academy.
He is the
sponsor of the Engineering Club. He also works after school with the ACE
mentoring program, FIRST Robotics Team 8775, National Technical Honor Society,
Interact Club, and Society of Women in Engineering.
“Volunteering
on these projects is rewarding. Many students get a taste of construction
management, trade skills and learn teamwork,” added Davenport. “This can start
many on a career path and buoys their interest in engineering and construction.”
Two of Davenport’s
former students at Creekside, Dylan Scanlon, and Gavin Glocke, are enjoying
success in their chosen fields.
Scanlon said
he always knew he wanted to be in design or engineering. He was in one of
Creekside’s first graduating classes. Davenport became his instructor in his
junior year.
“The program
was more centered on civil engineering in those days. We learned AutoCAD. I was
able to get an internship with Matthews DCCM Design Group between my junior and
senior years,” remembers Scanlon.
He went to
work for Mathews after graduation. The firm collaborated with him on achieving
his educational goals. He attended Florida State College at Jacksonville and the
University of North Florida where he received his Civil Engineering degree.
Scanlon stayed
connected with Davenport, looking for ways he could help and give back. He
volunteers with the Ace Mentor program at Creekside and Pedro Menendez High School.
A project
engineer at Mathews, Scanlon works on projects ranging from stormwater, roadway
improvements and other commercial, residential and hospitality designs.
Matthews
DCCM congratulated him on 10 years of service. And an unwavering commitment to
precision and diligence that has impacted the company’s processes. Noting he harbors
a profound passion for nurturing future engineers and is a co-founder of the
Florida Civil Educators Foundation, dedicated to preparing STEM students for
successful careers.
“My time and
experience at Creekside prepared me for where I am today. The Academy gave me a
basic knowledge of civil engineering,” he said.
Glocke is in
his last semester at UCF in Orlando, graduating next month. He chose UCF because
of his interest in the aerospace industry.
“I have
always had an interest in math and science and felt engineering was the way to
go. I joined the Academy in my first year. That is when I heard about the Engineering
Club,” Glocke said.
He was part
of most of the ramp projects the club built for the St. Johns Housing Partnership
during his four years at Creekside.
“Ramp projects
allow you to go through an entire building process including removing old ramps.
Building ramps for people with disabilities and the elderly gave us experience
in cutting the wood, digging the post holes, and making sure making sure the
construction was level and sturdy.
Glocke said
he also enjoyed being part of Project Innovation while in high school. Teams
would brainstorm innovative ideas turning them into a project and making a
presentation. Valuable experience included team building and problem solving.
He points to
Davenport’s emphasis on professionalism, mentoring through the ACE program, understanding
the concepts of design software, and stressing the importance of resume writing
as helping shape his future success.
At UCF he is
working with fellow students on a model rocket launch system that brings the
rocket back to the launch area seeking to help solve one of the space
industries industry problems on reusable parts.
A summer internship as a systems engineer with Northrop Grumman
in Utah paved the way to a full-time job with the company after graduation.
Glocke looks back at Creekside as the start of something good.
Engineering Academy
students dive into a curriculum that exposes them to several branches of
the field including Civil, Mechanical and Environmental engineering, as well as
manufacturing, and robotics.
Academy students
can earn top recognized certifications like Occupational Safety and Health
Administration (OSHA) and Manufacturing Skill Standards Council (MSSC), AutoCAD,
Revit, Inventor, and SolidWorks.