Last modified: Wednesday, January 30, 2008 10:52 AM CST

Chippewa Falls Middle School shop project building thanks to community

By ELIZABETH HOCHSTEDLER mailto: elizabeth.hochstedler@lee.net

It all starts with wood.

James Bobb relies on wood for his students to complete different technology education projects.

For about six years, his students at Chippewa Falls Middle School have been making candle holders and birdfeeders, and this year his materials and processes students are making swivelling stools.

But none of these projects would be possible without a community effort that brings much-needed wood into Bobb’s classroom.

The wood comes from two area sources: The birch students use comes from the Chippewa County Highway Department, and the oak comes from Spectrum Industries.

The birch has been donated from the highway shop for about six years, since David McCabe, patrol foreman for the shop, had children at the middle school.

“I know that (Bobb) uses that stuff for projects and I just want to kind of help him out with this,” McCabe said.

His shop cuts down birch from along roads, most of it from along County Q. McCabe said the arrangement works well because his shop needs to get rid of the wood and Bobb’s students use it.

The students also rely on a supply of oak that comes from Spectrum Industries at a reduced price.

“They’re really good. They give us the wood at a very premium price,” Bobb said.

With the deal he gets on the wood, Bobb is able to let the students make unique projects to bring home with no cost.

“Everything is free to the students, and it probably wouldn’t be without the generous donations and the cost-cutting we have on the wood,” he said.

Bobb said projects like the swivelling stool are important for his students. They get the chance to use new tools, design something unique and learn about the community.

“It’s a neat project,” he said. “The kids really took a lot of pride and ownership in it.”

The stools have been created with birch legs and oak seats.

The students chose the birch branches and were able to create a design on the seat using a wood burning tool, which makes each stool unique.

For example, Jim Zimmerman, an eighth-grade student in Bobb’s class, burned a drawing of a deer onto his seat because he likes hunting.

Other students drew deer, or wrote initials or funny sayings.

“It’s fun to wood burn and to turn out a seat,” Zimmerman said.

The students also get to use tools that many have never used before. They use drills, sanders, ratchets, wood burners, chisels, hammers, a tenoring bit and other tools.

“You get to use a lot of new stuff,” said Oliva Barry, an eighth grader.

There’s also a lot of math and planning involved, which makes the students think in a different way.

Bobb said students have to learn about determining angles and problem-solving techniques in a hands-on environment.

“It’s probably one of the more exciting projects we’ve had in a long time,” he said.

Besides the technical parts of the project, Bobb wants students to learn about careers that are available to them, and how the community has helped them complete this project.

“We live in a very generous community, and it’s industrial based,” Bobb said.

He hopes students will come away with an interesting project and an idea of how they can get involved in the area’s industries.

Bobb said many staff members at the school have been impressed with the work.

“I have had a lot of people come down and comment, ‘Can you build me one?’” he said.

Bobb hopes the community will continue to be generous, so his future classes will be able to make these stools and similar projects.

“Without the help of some of the people in the community, it wouldn’t work,” he said.

Copyright © 2009 Chippewa Valley Newspapers