Students pose inside the aerated composter they built with the help of their mentor Tom Boccacci. In front are Luke Leach, Jake True and Calvin Moyer. Not pictured – Dominic Teegarden. The Woodworking Group at the Hill Elementary School recently completed construction of a 4’ x 4’ x 4’ aerated composter with left over wood donated by Lowe’s for their school’s raised bed garden project.
Students worked weekly with their mentor, Tom Boccacci, through the school’s Academically Talented program, to design and build the composter. During their initial meeting they brainstormed ideas for the design and made a materials list. Throughout the project, students learned about the tools they would be using and focused on safety.
Boccacci, who travels from Hemlock every Monday, enjoys sharing his woodworking knowledge with the students who have the same passion for woodworking. Each lesson was filled with useful tips and words of encouragement.
“Measure twice, cut once,” he often reminded students. They also learned to inspect the wood for moisture which causes boards to warp or crack. As Boccacci would say “remember it’s the quality of your work that will be seen by other people.”
Priding themselves on their work, the students signed their names on the compost box, located on the south side of the Hill School. They are composting items to be used in the raised bed garden that students in the Veggie Nation Club are planting.
Students have learned so much from Boccacci that they have already begun devising grandiose plans for what they want to build next – including a green house. Other projects students have made include a miter box and a boot puller.
