Tyndall Elementary students received some hands-on experience with heavy construction equipment Thursday morning. The machines have been on school grounds since this summer, when workers replaced more than 36,000 tons of dirt.

The school is built over an old Air Force machine gun firing range, which had contaminated the soil with high levels of lead. Students, wearing special hard hats displaying the school logo, got to climb all over the tractors and front-end loaders.

Tyndall's principal Libbie Pippin said, "The children are so excited, but I really don't know who's more excited, the children or the construction workers. They've enjoyed seeing the children and answering their questions."

The soil replacement project at Tyndall Elementary is almost complete.