On Saturday, December 10, Hope Hall will host its Annual Woodworking Sale, the proceeds of which support the school’s Woodworking Program. The Woodworking Center is part of Hope Hall’s Career Development and Occupational Studies (CDOS) Program.
This once-a-year event features a wide variety of handcrafted wooden items such as toys and doll furniture, home and holiday décor, as well as furnishings for home and storage, all meticulously crafted by staff and volunteers. These unique items are perfect for gifting as well as for decorating the home. This year’s sale will have a larger assortment of toys and games that families can enjoy together, and will feature such new items as a mini cornhole game and a mini racing car track. Another item that has been added to this year’s selection is a stocking rack that comes with four hand-crafted stockings, for families who have no fireplace. Proceeds from the sale help support the school’s Woodworking Program.
The Woodworking Program at the school is an innovative initiative, launched in 2004, that was designed to merge critical academic instruction with career skills in a hands-on approach to learning. Hope Hall’s students learn differently. This program leverages Hope Hall’s unique multi-sensory approach to education which has proven track record of success, including a consistent 100% graduation rate.
The program starts as an after school program in the lower grades and becomes a sequenced, credit-bearing program in the tenth through twelfth grades. The courses provide problem-solving, communications, and team-building skills, as well as talents and experience in the skilled trades. Additionally, the students graduate with a portfolio of furniture pieces they have crafted, such as Adirondack chairs and arched door cabinets.
“Each year following graduation, a number of our students go on to work with local firms where carpentry and cabinet making skills are sought, or where the applicants need hands-on experience in working with machinery and hand tools,” explained Sister Diana.
“For those students who go on to college or other careers, the skills they learn through our Woodworking Program are invaluable in helping them become successful.”
Hope Hall’s Annual Woodworking Sale is free and open to the public. It will take place on Saturday, December 10, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the gym of Hope Hall School, located at 1612 Buffalo Road in Rochester. Select additional craft vendors will also have merchandise available for sale.
Provided information. Photos by C. White Llewellyn.
