Shaker Heights Middle School 8th graders all take a design course focused on woodworking. This hands-on experience is definitely a favorite of our students! The course offering was launched with funding from the Shaker Schools Foundation in the 2021-2022 school year and is a wonderful example of a STEM lab that allows students to explore many technical disciplines. Students are learning important skills such as collaborating, planning and designing woodwork. They are making bookshelves, grill scrapers and sanding blocks. Creating woodwork from start to finish brings great satisfaction to our Shaker students. 

Generous donations totaling $15,000 from the Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) have allowed the instructor, Mark Nagel, to procure additional tools, supplies and resources to grow the impact of the class. AWI unites manufacturers, architects, general contractors, suppliers, and other woodworking professionals, and provides outstanding resources that drive excellence across the industry. The Shaker Schools and students are grateful for the kind support that AWI has provided with their grant and investment in the future of woodworking.