The Fab Lab class is on an ambitious mission to build something quite ordinary but important nonetheless as they take on the job of constructing an outdoor shed for the school’s community garden near the breezeway.

The construction of the shed, which will house gardening tools,  was made possible by a $2,000 grant from New Jersey Sustainable Schools awarded in late 2015.   The WHHS has been ahead of the curve in sustainable projects having started the garden project in the late 90s, and the construction of the shed continues in that tradition under the direction of their teacher Robert Yost. 

The construction of the shed began in earnest in September. “It’s going to be a tremendous accomplishment for a project this big that’s supposed completed by the end of the year,” Yost said. “It is very overwhelming, because the kids don’t have the proper skills yet. During this project each student gets a special opportunity to learn how to work with power tools.”

“I’m just the saw worker during this project. I’m not involved in any real work,” Yost adds. He encourages the class to take charge of the construction and perform the tasks in unity. “It’s going well,” he ends with a proud glance at the shed framework already standing in the corner.

Four students appointed by Yost are in charge of the project.  Seniors Timothy Tulio and Zean Clemente as well as juniors Jacob Lukowiak and Lorenzo Cinelli are overseeing all of the operations.  With a bit more experience than their younger classmates, the four leaders take an active part in the building process. All students do get a chance to work together as a team. The underclassmen are especially eager to work on the shed and are looking forward to digging its foundation as well.

The students admit that the operation has thrown some challenges their way. Working with wood doesn’t always go smoothly. Students claim that they do have occasional injuries, ranging anywhere from scrapes to splinters and pinched fingers. Perhaps the greater challenge is the working process itself. “There’s a lot of geometry involved with building the shed. Understanding how all the pieces need to fit together is one of the most difficult parts,” explains Tulio, “75 percent of building is math and 25 percent is the execution.”

There is still plenty of work that has to be done as the shed is supposed to be 8”x10”x8 ½” by the time of its completion. The students have yet to put up the roof and place siding on its walls.  Yost has even made plans to add window boxes with flowers to give it a more homey appearance. That being said, the construction is on target to be finished by November.