While many begin the morning to take showers or to eat breakfast, five students arrive on campus an hour early for zero period. Only woodshop students occupy the empty parking lot, ready to continue their creations.

?I consider myself a morning person, so waking up early does not bother me,? Janae Keys-Bramlett, ?09, said. ?I think that the benefit of woodshop justifies getting to school early.?

Keys-Bramlett, one of two girls in the class, joined woodshop during the second semester of her freshman year.

?I joined woodshop because I thought it was fun and I love to make things with my hands,? Keys-Bramlett said. ?I feel like I am making large scale art.?

Although it seems females shy away from carpentry and using their hands to build, cut and shape wood, Trevor Bodi, 09?, feels the class benefits from Keys-Bramlett?s presence.

?It adds a layer of difficulty,? Bodi said. ?Having her there inspires me to do better. She is one of two girls in woodshop; I instinctively want to do better, because I’m a guy.?

Instructor Randy Hurley, now in his seventh year of teaching, believes students learn best through personal instruction. He gives students the opportunity for artistic freedom and complete access to most of the equipment.

?I use very hands-on teaching,” Hurley said. “Some students learn by their own failure, but I like to teach by showing them how I work.”

While many use tools to create furniture, storage units and art, Keys-Bramlett chose to work on this year?s Destination Imagination project. She works with her sister Tonia and fellow juniors Scott Tao, Anthony Johnson, Daniel Kingen and David Sholes.

?Destination Imagination is a team competition and our challenge is to design a self-propelling vehicle,? Keys-Bramlett said. ?Our objective is to construct a car to overcome different obstacles. I am making the track for the car to run on during woodshop.?

Students often gain a sense of accomplishment from their woodshop constructions. After Connor Gibes, ’11, finishes a project, he decides whether his time in labor was well spent.

?It depends on if I like what I have made or not,? Gibes said. ?If it is good, I am satisfied. If not, I bury it in my garage.?

In addition to teaching craftsmanship, Hurley tries to change students’ way of thinking.

“I want to teach them patience, perseverance and problem solving skills,” Hurley said. “I want them to learn to think outside the box.?