Seven Peace Wapiti Academy students have become a major part of the history of the school’s carpentry program.
They have refurbished five bench tops donated by NAIT last year, creating strong and durable equipment that will be used for years to come.
Grade 10 students Taylor Dobransky, Dylan MacNevin, Austin Weller, and Keifer Quintal, along with Tristan Quintal and Brian Bohler in grade 11 and Forrest Catholique in grade 12 all jumped at the opportunity.
Shop teacher Josh Kostanuick says the students now feel like they’re part of a legacy, and have gotten a confidence boost.
“The students were able to do almost 99 per cent of the work just on their own. I think it was a pride thing too, that there was something that they would have in the shop forever, and then they were really excited that these were table tops that hundreds of tradesmen had worked on.”
Kostanuick adds that projects that cater to those who are better with their hands than a pen are important, as not every student is university bound.
They were able to upgrade the tables for around $1,000Â each, when it would have cost $5,000 to $6,000 new.
The older benches are now being used for gluing and painting.