Elective classes bolstered

School budgets remain tight everywhere, and funding for many electives has been cut, but students at Marine View Middle School are enjoying special programs that parents, teachers and the administrators work to keep alive.

Mike Henderson’s woodshop class is one. On Tuesday, eighth-grade students in Henderson’s class perfected their latest projects ? an oven “push-pull” and a brain teaser.

Using saws, a belt sander and files, the students constructed a device that can be used to pull open an oven door with no fear of burning themselves. By the end of the year, they’ll move on to larger projects, such as skateboards. The projects also get more intricate as time passes in the trimester-long class.

“They’ll learn to use the drill-press and a scroll saw, and then they’ll learn to stain and varnish projects,” Henderson said as he oversaw the group of about 20 students.

The machinery in the newly remodeled classroom is dangerous, but students study safety issues for the first two weeks of school and get reminders as they use each machine.

“It’s easy to get hurt in here if you don’t do the work correctly,” noted Laura Ethans as she busily hand-sanded her oven push-pull.

“We have safety rules and guidelines, a safety video they watch, a general safety test and one for each machine they’ll use,” Henderson said. “They’re usually chomping at the bit for a chance to work on the machines, and they actually have to qualify for it.”

All but three of Henderson’s students in the Tuesday morning class also took the class last year.

“I took this class last year and it was fun,” said Angelina Cech, 14. “It’s definitely more fun than writing out math problems.”

Marine View students take a different elective each trimester, and woodshop is one of them.

“We also have a performing arts class,” Henderson said. “There’s a jazz ensemble, after-school sports, a video production class.”

There are also Spanish and computer classes.

Henderson said these choices would not be available if it wasn’t for continued community and parent support.

“I think the key to the whole thing is to have the support,” he said. “We just remodeled this room during Christmas break ? we’re fortunate to have a community that is supportive.”

Henderson, who also teaches algebra at the school, said he enjoys teaching the woodshop class because of the interaction with students.

“I think what’s best is the interaction with the students,” he said. “I get to deal with students in a completely different way in here. There’s more flexibility, and everyone can work at their own pace, to some degree.”

That flexibility is important to Henderson, who has two developmentally disabled students in his class. Although Henderson makes the major cuts for their projects, the two students work diligently with an aide the entire 30 or 45 minutes they are in class.

“Seeing their eyes light up when they work on a project is great,” he said.

Cleanup time began about 15 minutes before the bell rang. The moment Henderson alerted his students that they had to wrap up work, students grabbed push brooms and began sweeping, while others turned off machines and cleared off tables.

“I think it’s important to have as many extracurricular activities and electives as possible,” Henderson said as his class cleaned their workspace. “Not every kid is geared toward academics, and this is one way that keeps some interested in school.”hbi.27-itc-CPhotoInfo5L1QB34G20060427iyb1p3ncLINDA NGUYEN / INDEPENDENT(LA)Tonya Freed and Kaitlyn Bigley work on sanding projects for Mike Henderson’s woodshop class at Marine View.