UA Engineers Without Borders Restores Black Belt Baseball Field in Hale County

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – As summer approaches, both children and adults anticipate warm weather, vacations to the beach, and the beginning of America’s favorite pastime, baseball. But as some Hale County residents realize, their youth do not have recreational fields equipped for children to play baseball – a problem The University of Alabama Engineers Without Borders chapter is working to solve.

Engineers Without Borders is partnering with the Black Belt Action Commission, an organization aimed at improving the quality of life in Alabama’s Black Belt region, to restore Curtis Smith Field, a run-down baseball field in Greensboro.

Engineers Without Borders is restoring the baseball field in an effort to increase interest in the sport among the Black Belt community. Members of the Black Belt Action Commission sought EWB’s assistance after recognizing the need for improved recreational areas for their youth.

“Baseball used to be a big deal in the Black Belt,” said Dr. Philip Johnson, associate professor of civil and environmental engineering and adviser for EWB. “Kids used to play the game, but it has died out, and there is no longer a little league team in Hale County, which is why we are sending students there to help.”

Engineers Without Borders sent a team of volunteers to the field to plan what developments will be made and what materials will be needed. Josh Hamilton, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering and the student project leader for EWB, hopes to make several improvements to the field, including patching the roofs of the dugouts, adding bases to the field, restoring the bleachers and concession stand, and building new scoreboards. Engineers Without Borders is also planning on improving a playground located beyond the outfield.

“We are hoping to bring a sense of pride back to this community through improved recreational opportunities for these children,” said Hamilton. “This field is something the community can actually revolve around, and it will help get these kids active, and give them something to work toward.”

Members of Engineers Without Borders working on the baseball field include:

• James Elder, a sophomore majoring in mechanical engineering from Mobile
• Amy Frees, a freshman majoring in chemical engineering from Huntsville
• Josh Hamilton, a sophomore majoring in electrical engineering and student project manager for EWB from Scottsboro
• Lee Rutland, a junior majoring in construction engineering from Alexander City
• Leah Teuber, a senior majoring in civil engineering from Owens Cross Roads
• Matthew Westcott, a junior majoring in aerospace engineering and mechanics from Park City, Ky.

Engineers Without Borders is a student organization that partners with disadvantaged communities around the world to design and implement engineering projects that improve the quality of life in these communities.

In 1837, The University of Alabama became one of the first five universities in the nation to offer engineering classes. Today, UA’s fully accredited College of Engineering has about 1,900 students and nearly 100 faculty. In the last seven years, students in the College have been named USA Today All-USA College Academic Team members, Goldwater scholars, Hollings scholars and Portz scholars.