Bat Houses

A 500-dollar grant from the Community Foundation of Tampa is going to help one area in south Tampa control a mosquito problem, but its reach goes far beyound that.
It has already had a postive impact on some children.

In Assignment: Education.. find out how some young people turned a summer school enrichment program into something that will benefit the community

These nocturnal winged warriors strike terror into the hearts of many, but Bat lovers will tell you.. these little night flyers are not only misunderstood.. they can be our friends.

--[Teacher David Grantham says:] "Alright, you remember how you did this? You want these sides out. It might be better if you use both hands. Go straight down on it. Hard. Okay, good Take the screws out and move that down."--

Robinson High School Construction Technology teacher David Grantham is on a mission.. He's helping his summer school enrichment class wrap up an important project. All this summer.. These seven-to-14-year-olds have been building bat houses. They're doing it for the Civic Association of Port Tampa. Combining a 500-dollar grant from the Community Foundation of Tampa with some of its own money, the Civic Association will install the bat houses in areas where mosquitos breed. Many of the students said they were surprised about what they learned about Bats.

--[Student Brad Ryan says:] "Yeah acutally I was, and how many can fit into this little box. How many.. what she say?" [boy off camera says:] "15 To 30." [Ryan says:] "Yeah about 15 to 30."--

--[Student Susan Wadyka says:] "They were smaller than I thought they were. And I didn't know they didn't have a place to stay or stuff."

--[Bill Ratliff off camera asks:] "What did you learn about bats?" [Student Jeremy Borden says:] "That they're interesting and there's not enough bats. We need to make homes so most of them don't die."--

It won't be long before there are 85 new bat houses in the port Tampa area. It's hoped the bats will return the favor by dining on meal after meal of mosquito munchies.

--[Grantham says:] "That's a house any Bat would be proud to call home."--

Bill Ratliff, Newschannel eight.

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