On the same day the Davenport West High School and Bettendorf High School football teams compete on the field, a celebration is taking place along the riverfront for a student-focused collaboration.
Welding students from the two high schools will reveal bike racks they designed and built for downtown Davenport and downtown Bettendorf. The event will be at 10 a.m., Friday, Sept. 1, on the Mississippi River Trail (MRT), where the cites of Davenport and Bettendorf meet. Parking will be available at State and 8th streets, Bettendorf.
“We’re ultimately celebrating our talented youth and the full-circle connection to our business community, the ability to grow our own talent in the Quad Cities, and addressing future workforce needs,” Kyle Carter, Downtown Davenport Partnership (DDP) executive director, said in a news release. “The bike racks are just a small example of what we can do on a huge scale when we collaborate regionally at all levels.”
A few years ago, the DDP – an affiliate of the Quad Cities Chamber – came up with the idea to make bike racks branded with its logo. After doing some research and brainstorming, the business group was able to partner with Davenport West’s Welding Department and have the bike racks made locally by high school students.
This year, the Quad Cities Chamber has expanded that program to include the Downtown Bettendorf Organization (DBO), a fellow chamber affiliate, and students in Bettendorf High School’s Welding Department.
“Students exploring manufacturing work in the future are getting hands-on experience in high school on all aspects of completing a job,” said Ryan Jantzi, executive director for DBO. “From raw material, pricing, and fabrication to powder coating, marketing, and craftsmanship – it’s real-world experience in high school all while creating something that adds value to our community.”
The public is invited to the reveal.
