Senior shop students finish cabinetry projects

BONNERS FERRY — While this year has been far from normal for Bonners Ferry High School students, you would never know it from the projects crafted by the school’s cabinetry students.

Students were only partially finished with their second-semester projects when schools were closed in the state due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting shutdown had a big impact on the program, with nearly all of the cabinetry classes impacted, instructor Francis Carlson said.

The introduction classes for second semester were only able to build one of the planned projects. The CMM1 class wasn’t able to complete their chessboard projects or start the step stool project — a popular project where students learn how to operate a CNC machine. CMM2 classes were not able to complete the large scale cabinet install, and the CMM3 students were not able to finish their “free projects.”

“While the other classes will have the opportunity to finish their class projects as part of next school year, the seniors in CMM3 would not,” Carlson said. “With the closures, and events being canceled, this was a hard blow to students and teacher alike.”

The school’s woodshop classes are categorized as cabinetry courses, with four levels — introduction to cabinetry, taken by freshmen; Cabinet Making and Millwork 1, taken by sophomores; Cabinet Making and Millwork 2, taken by juniors; and Cabinet Making and Millwork 3 taken by seniors.

In a normal year students construct various projects depending on course level, Carlson said. In the past these have included from easier projects such duck projects and simple boxes to chessboards and step stools to night stands, dressers, and gun cabinets.

“Students learn valuable skills such as shop and machine safety, measuring, material handling, cabinetry drafting and design, with varying levels of cabinetry and furniture construction,” she said.

In addition to their projects, CMM2/3 students also complete a large scale cabinet installation. In that project they build cabinets for a classroom on site, and install them at the end of the school year.

In the second semester CMM3 students are given a “free project,” where they are given a set budget, joint requirements, and advanced woodworking skills (like CNC operation) to incorporate into their project. The students then spend two to three weeks designing their projects, having in-depth construction with Carlson, and gathering materials.

“Many students look forward to this project since they are given the opportunity to explore new challenges and build what they want,” Carlson said. “It is the highlight of their high school cabinetry career.”

In the past, seniors have built everything from desks and dressers to coffee tables and gun cabinets. This year, Carlson said the nine BFHS seniors in the program were planning to build similar projects.

Austin Donn planned on a small shelf and cabinet, Cody Kertsteins, Quinn Gray, and Cameron Rae all designed a large gun cabinets, Justin Mendenhall and Owen Vandecoevering started working on coffee tables, Bryce Copeland designed a fancy dog kennel, and Michael Youngwirth designed an entryway bench that incorporated drawers for storage.

Ryker DesRosiers worked with the instructor from October through January planning a cabinet project for a small cabin on his family property. This project consisted of 13 kitchen cabinets, and would be the CMM2 class large cabinet install for the semester. DesRosiers worked on designing, planning, and purchasing materials for several months, and was planning on building the kitchen island as his “free project,” Carlson said.

Before the school closures the CMM2 students, including Spencer Eby, Dalin Foster, Austin Madden, Jack Romero, Brint Corson, Austen Jones, Lillian Merritt, and Haydon Stockton had the cabinets constructed with face frames.

When the school closed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic and the resulting stay-home orders and school closures in the state, BFHS teachers stepped in to help out when students were not allowed in the school.

“A few of the teachers banded together to help complete the cabinet project while social distancing,” Carlson said. “They wanted to help finish the cabinets for Ryker, since he had invested a significant amount of time and effort into the project for his family’s cabin.”

Carlson worked on the cabinets little by little each day of the school closure. She had help from Conrad Garner with the large-scale door and drawer assembly, the maintenance staff with moving around plywood and cabinets, and teachers Luke Omodt, Julie Smith, and Justin Pluid stepped in to help set a clamp, sand, or support material.

“[I am] grateful to the staff that helped work on Ryker DesRosiers’ cabinets,” Carlson said. “Without their assistance he would not have been able to finish.”

However, as restrictions eased and school reopened for social distancing, Carlson was given special permission by the school board to have CMM3 students come in to finish their “free projects.”

DesRosiers spent four full days completing his cabinets and was able to sand all of his cabinets, help assemble the rest of the island, and apply finish to all the cabinets. Michael Youngwirth and Cody Kersteins also invested four full days in their projects, staying well into the evening to finish them.

Kersteins’ gun cabinet was in several pieces, ready for jointery and construction before the school closure.

“In the few days at he worked he was able to joint, assemble, sand, and apply finish to his gun cabinet,” Carlson said.

Youngwirth was in a similar situation, with several pieces ready for the next steps, including parts for a bench, mini-dresser, and three drawers.

“He worked hard and was able to complete nearly all of the components of his project in the short amount of work time,” Carlson said.

While other students like Justin Mendenhall and Austin Donn only needed to come in for a couple days to finish their projects. Both projects were in the middle of construction and needed some fine-tuning and minor adjustments, Carlson said.

For students who were able to come in and work on their projects, Carlson was able to teach them how to apply spray finish — a new skill that the CMM3 students touched on prior to the school closure, but did not have a chance to practice.

“While they completed the theory and online work at home, they lacked the resources to try the technique on their own,” Carlson said, adding the students asked her if they could learn and practice the skill on their projects.

“It was very discouraging to have to tell so many students that have worked hard, put in the time and effort to panning and starting projects, that they couldn’t finish them,” Carlson said.

She said she is grateful to BCSD administration and school board for allowing CMM3 students the chance to come in and finish their projects.

“As an instructor I am immensely proud of all of my students,” she said. “They were able to work hard and adjust to the online format of education, while not being able to complete their shop projects.”

Carlson said she is happy some CMME students were able to complete their projects and learn a new skill. For students who weren’t able to come in, she takes some solace in that they will at least able to do their first-semester projects.

CMM2 and CMM3 students built small night stands first semester. CMM2 students learned the basics of cabinetry construction with CNC carving. CMM3 students honed their cabinetry construction skills while learning new skills such as veneering and glass etching.

‘Although the school year was cut short, the students at Bonners Ferry High School will have pieces of furniture they made that will last a lifetime,” Carlson said.