Creativity on campus comes in many different forms.
For some, art class is the ultimate high for imagination. For others, drama class or even marching band has a certain appeal as a creative outlet. However, for a select few, woodshop is the way to go.
?I joined woodshop this semester because I wanted to improve my woodworking skills,? Bryce Fonda, ?06, said. ?I was involved in another woodshop class for three years before this one.?
Woodshop takes place as a zero period class Mondays through Thursdays, causing some students who would rather be spending their time in bed to wake up early. Some people feel that such an early class has caused some serious damage on their REM cycle.
?I do not mind getting up so early, but I do wish that I could sleep in a little more,? Adam Casuga, ?09, said. ?Sometimes it?s kind of a drag having to get to school an hour early.?
Randy Hurley, woodshop instructor, began woodshop on campus three years ago, in need of a hands-on class that students could enjoy. He used to teach a night class, and after receiving several donations through the Church, the woodshop studio was built.
?We now use this building for the junior high students along with the high school,? Hurley said. ?Woodshop here was a good idea because it allowed students to have a creative outlet. Even if they don?t want to move on to a major job involving woodwork; it?s a good talent to use around the house.?
The class itself is not only physical work, but also work that involves a vast mixture of education. Each test and final for the class involves a written exam and often includes vocabulary.
?The tests are easy, and so are the things that we make in class,? Casuga said. ?Mr. Hurley is always looking over out shoulders to check that we are doing everything right. It is really difficult to screw up.?
Not many students that Hurley has taught have moved on to a career in woodshop.
?I only remember one student for sure who moved on to a job involving some sort of woodworking,? Hurley said. ?His name was Josh Siebert.?
The future path for those in woodshop has many possibilities, from construction work or just making a successful birdhouse for the front yard. Students who plan on creating a life for themselves in architecture of some sorts might find that a zero period woodshop class is a good place to start.
For more information on woodshop, contact Hurley at [email protected].
