SE students to CANstruct clock tower
by Rebecca Romine, Reporter

   Some students on SE Campus anticipate big payoff of recognition, trophies and the satisfactory feeling of feeding the hungry.
   With three CANstruction trophies under their belt, these students await the coming of the second annual CANstruction competition held in Fort Worth with high hopes.
   Working around the theme “It’s time to stop hunger in North Texas,” the team of TCC student volunteers has put together a structure containing more than 3,000 cans collected from students on campus and donations from Albertson’s grocery in the creative form of a clock tower. The tower is planned to hold a working clock on the top and stand eight feet tall.
   All cans and boxes from the competition will be donated to the Tarrant Area Food Bank to fill its emptying pantry shelves. According to food bank officials, 9-11 has drastically cut stock at food banks, which are now only a fourth as full as last year.
   “It’s becoming a more serious problem as we head into the holidays,” Arnie Radman, instructor of architecture, said. With his students, Radman plans on contributing nearly 6,500 cans.
    As the only school entering the competition, SE’s structure will be up against local architectural agencies with designs by professionals.     Primarily, students design the TCC structures with only slight coaching from Radman. Traditionally, the student entries place high among the professional entries.
    In order to compete, the students must follow strict guidelines to be able to enter their artistic piece. All can labels on cans and boxes must be facing outward, the structure must be freestanding and may not exceed the preset 10x10x8 building area.
   Students began building the tower on the SE Campus Monday for display through Saturday. After the campus showing, it will be taken apart and rebuilt for competition, then displayed free of charge in Ridgmar Mall during mall hours Oct.12-18.
    To see interesting, creative and unusual entries, log on to the Web site at www.canstruction.org to find photographs of previous structures.