Contributed photo Monte Vista High School woodshop class, pictured, received a $200 donation from St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Monte Vista for future projects.   Photos by Marie Mccolm Monte Vista High School woodshop class is giving back to the community by building special-ordered dog houses and stairs.

MONTE VISTA — Monte Vista High School woodshop teacher Aaron Woodke was enthusiastic about receiving a $200 donation from St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Monte Vista.

“It’s important to me that people in the community recognize the children for the accomplishments that they are making at the school, and also see what the kids enjoy doing for the community,” Woodke said. “The kids work hard in the classroom and are dedicated to this class. What they learn today, are things that they will take with them, and use throughout their everyday lives.”

In December 2021, his students created unique jewelry boxes out of cedar wood and presented them to people at Veterans Community Living Center at Homelake. 

St. Stephen's Episcopal Church saw what the students did for the veterans and wanted to donate money to the wood shop class, to help with other projects.

“The church recognizes that projects like this are important for the community, but we also know that there’s expense involved, so if we are able to help in any way, we definitely are happy to help,” said church clerk Susan Robinson.

St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church made the donation to the shop class on March 10. Woodke and his class were grateful for the donation. 

“We do a lot of projects for the community,” Woodke said. “I am not sure if many of the residents here in town know how the class works, but we can do community projects, and we certainly need more projects. We are currently making some special-ordered dog houses, and also making some stairs for a resident who is paying us and ordered these stairs. It’s so important to have the community order things from us to make, because these projects help fund the shop class, as wood and lumber are expensive, and these projects also help the children create and learn in our classroom. They are learning a trade and will use this with their future families as well.”

The students enjoy working together and helping the community.

“I really like making things for the community, we work in groups, like one of us will be cutting wood, and one of us will be making the actual product, that we give out to the community, and the other person will be finishing and making final touches to the project,” said student Luciano Chacon. “We all work together in here.”

Woodke thanked the church for the donation.

“I really appreciate St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church recognizing what the students have done for and in the community, and the donation will really help the class,” Woodke said.

For more information on the class or to make a donation, contact Aaron Woodke at the Monte Vista High School.