Episode Details

Anthony Godfrey:
Welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. He has been helping students carve out successful futures in a skilled trade for more than 30 years in Jordan School District. On this episode of the Supercast, we go inside Rick Minor's Woodworking classroom at Mountain Ridge High School, where students are learning a valuable skill, crafting everything from beds and chairs to chess sets, wooden spoons and pens. Hi guys, how are you? This looks a little different from the last time I was here and it's full of great projects.

Teacher:
Yeah. These, these kids would like to show you some of these very cool projects that we've got going on. But this, first of all, this is my most advanced class. I call this my Woods III class. These students will almost certainly go into this for an occupation, or they will at least use this to get them to their occupation.

Anthony Godfrey:
They will go out and work in this field while they're getting to their occupation? I see a lot of heads nodding. So I'm going to want to talk with them about that. So glad you're here.

Teacher:
I'm so glad I'm here too.

Anthony Godfrey:
This is awesome. And it smells good in here.

Teacher:
It does. I was going to say that's me, but it's not.

Anthony Godfrey:
What type of wood do you work with?

Teacher:
We work with all types. We work with the oak and alder and cherry and maple and walnut. We just got done shaping up some walnut a few minutes ago, which I think Landon's going to show you. Guys, show him the projects. Let's start there.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, let's check it out. Tell me your name.

Student:
Tony.

Anthony Godfrey:
And tell me what we have here.

Student:
These are pens that I turned on a lathe.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. What are some of the materials you use to make these pens?

Student:
Well, the resin.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh yeah. The colorful ones are the resin.

Student:
Yep.

Anthony Godfrey:
That's really something. Wow. So you have obviously different shapes that you do.

Student:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Different thickness.

Student:
Yep.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. That's amazing.

Student:
I always keep a few from myself.

Anthony Godfrey:
You keep a few for yourself? That's always a good policy. Is that a favorite?

Student:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Do you have people start to request them once they see that you make things?

Student:
Every once in awhile, but not often.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. That's awesome. Great job. Whoa, everywhere I turn. There's something else. This is like a Lord of the Rings spoon. Something that was built by Miles right there. Oh, Miles come tell me about this spoon. You could beat back orcs with that spoon I think.

Student:
So it's a five foot spoon, roughly. And I built it out of cherry. I just carved it out and now I'm kind of in the process of sanding it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, this, this cherry spoon. Are you in a large family? Because what I picture is maybe you use this five foot spoon to get a serving of whatever meal is on the table before your brothers and sisters can get to it.

Student:
That is an excellent idea.

Anthony Godfrey:
That is really something