Senior Project Officer George Gottuso presented architectural drawings and blueprints of some of the hundreds of new schools now being built by SCC, the state agency in charge of an $8.6 billion overhaul of educational facilities throughout New Jersey's 21 counties.

Wearing plastic yellow SCC "hard hats," students in Doris Middleton's class rolled up their sleeves and joined Gottuso in poring over blueprints of classrooms, gyms, auditoriums, computer labs and media centers - standard fare in SCC's state-of-the-art facilities. Thus inspired, many of the students took pencil to paper and tried their hands at their own designs.

Gottuso spoke of the role that mathematics - especially concepts of measurement, geometry and area, which the students are now learning - plays in design and construction. He also got down to basics, showing students various tools - a hammer, saw, screwdriver, pliers - while stressing the importance of using them carefully and correctly.

Gottuso's talk was well received by the attentive students. They sent him hand-made "thank you" notes with drawings of tools, building designs, and many compliments - and a beribboned booklet with photographs of Gottuso and the students at the event.

"Your presentation was really cool!" one student wrote. Another student said, "I learned a lot about construction and all the other stuff you taught us . I didn't know you could use math in construction." Another wrote, "I always told my mom I wanted to be a house builder because I like to build things, fix things and make things . thank you so much!"

Mrs. Middleton said Gottuso "certainly will be a memorable and valuable part of their educational experience - one that could not be found in a textbook or computers."

Gottuso was overwhelmed by the students' reaction and honored to be able to speak about the SCC. He noted the Jefferson School students already have benefited from the SCC, which is providing over half the funding for a new roof for their school in the Gloucester County community and 46 percent funding of the school district's $16.3 million building program.

"We're building and improving schools here and throughout the state for our children and our future - and let's face it, our children are our future," Gottuso said.