All Bolton CSD students have access and are encouraged to participate in, a wide variety of technology and engineering options. These options expose students to systems of all kinds; from Drawing and Design for Production, Creativity and Innovation, to Production Systems involving Energy, Transportation and Construction.
8th and 9th graders are also provided with a varied cross section of experiences to help them realize where their interests and aptitudes may be strongest. This fall, students worked on crafting wooden spoons by hand. The choosing of the wood, selecting a style, working with tools to achieve the basic shape, and then the sanding and finish work were tasks students learned as they completed the project.
During this time a member of our staff made Technology teacher, Mr. Pat Boire aware of a news article that talked about an approximately 200 year “wolf tree” sugar maple that was being prepared for special projects. As a shorter trunked sugar maple, this tree was better suited for woodworking projects. The high-quality wood was offered to those who could turn it into wooden spoons, walking sticks or bowls.
Mr. Boire reached out to the individual who had taken on the responsibility of making sure this tree (affectionately named “Mabelle”) went into the future as something other than fire wood. Once the wood was at BCS, students went to work with their acquired skills and produced spoons to be auctioned off, with proceeds going to Woodlands Cemetery (where the tree had been located) for an as-of-yet-unnamed project.
To learn more about “Mabelle” click the link below!
Wood From Cambridge Cemetery’s ‘Matriarch Tree’ To Live On
The skill and patience that are needed to produce any kind of fine woodworking project is an attribute that can be applied to any task one wishes to do well with. These experiences create life-long learners at Bolton CSD.