Prepping the molds

We have prepped the molds!  Jasmine brought the molds to our school so that we could get them ready for the pour the next day.  We helped her unload the van and the materials/equipment we would need and brought the molds into an art room that didn't have a class in it at the moment.  The students then proceeded to clean the molds with damp cloths: a meticulous job that ensures nothing will interfere with the detail we hope to get with the concrete. They then tightened the bolts on the mother mold ensuring it was ready to support the weight of the cement. Students cut burlap into wide strips that will eventually be used to keep our freshly poured concrete moist.  Meanwhile, Jasmine's sandbox was built and filled with sand - thank you to our fabulous maintenance and grounds staff!  We put the sandbox in the fenced area behind the technology education rooms as planned and walked over the molds.  Jasmine had previously tested the molds to see what we would get and below is an example of the incredible detail from the "lunch" locker designs.

 Next Jasmine and her crew began the task of suspending rebar inside the molds for extra strength. They used wires, clamps and wood to keep the rebar steady and away from an edge.  Next we moved the molds to the sandbox and then began the delicate job of ensuring they were level.  Afterwards we used the shop vac to clean out any sand that got into the molds in the process and covered the molds for the night.

We were all excited to see what would happen in the morning.  The cement truck was scheduled for first thing and we were as ready as we could be.