Oct. 21, 2024-- Students enrolled in the United Way-funded Project SPEAR classes at High School South have a reputation for utilizing their new skills to improve their school and community. Since the program's inception in 2018, SPEAR students have refurbished benches for High School South's softball team, built lifeguard stands for Ortley Beach, and helped build a new ticket booth for Indian game days, among other successful ventures. This year, they're delivering something special for teachers and school staff.
Students enrolled in SPEAR 2-- the more advanced class of the pre-apprenticeship CTE-based construction course-- "are working on a very skilled project of building custom mailboxes for the front office," said teacher Tim O'Leary.
When complete, the new mailbox structure is going to measure almost 15-feet wide and about seven-feet tall.
One of the most popular times of the year to receive mail is during the holiday season, and SPEAR students are also preparing for that, embarking on a fun project they're going to use for a fundraiser.
"Our students are going to make and sell Christmas trees with a customizable sign on them," said O'Leary.
And, of course, being the teacher he is, O'Leary first had to model how these custom trees might look: