PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. — According to experts, many mosquito-borne illnesses can be discovered with the help of sentinel chickens housed in coops throughout Pinellas County. 


What You Need To Know

  •  Pinellas County uses a series of chicken coops to help detect mosquito-borne viruses before they hit the human population

  •  Currently, the coops are about 30-years-old and are in need of an update

  • Students in the construction program at Jacobson Technical High School are helping to rebuild the county's coops

When the 30-year-old coops ran their course Mosquito Control enlisted the help of students in the construction program at Richard O. Jacobson Technical High School. 

For an hour and a half students at Tech High learn a lot about work ethic and team building. 

They are things student Kiana Lollis said will prepare her for a career as an engineer. 

"I just love building things," said Lollis.

It is an activity her entire family loves and one that was passed on to her. 

Lollis is one of dozens of students helping to replace the sentinel chicken coops belonging to Pinellas County. 

The new chicken coops will bigger and will have better air flow. 

Leading the group is senior Avery Bates who said their work will play a crucial role in improving public health. 

"Chickens don't get infected like we do," said Bates. "They test the viruses that the mosquitoes carry."

The mosquito-borne illnesses that the chickens help identify are ones Pinellas County officials want to keep at bay. 

"If you don't like doing hands-on work, this class is not for you, " said student James Nickel. 

The course is the next step toward his ideal career as a plumber. 

"It's a good start," he said. "I can get my certifications, that way it will show my employer that I'm at least qualified to get into the field that I want to."

The school's construction program is one of more than 80 magnet programs that make up the District Application Program (DAP) in Pinellas County .

Several magnet schools in Pinellas County with be showcasing their programs at the DAP Fair:

  • All County DAP Fair: Oct. 23 — High Schools 9:00-10:30 a.m.; Elementary and Middle Schools 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Largo High
  • South County DAP Fair: Oct. 26 — 6:00-7:30 p.m. at Northeast High