>Some of our club will be doing a demo today at a high school about 50 miles south of here. This is the second demo we have done there this year. 150 students, 4 x 1.5 hour classes. The last demo we had several students become interested in turning but we also had a large number of teachers, principals, and others who also became interested in turning and/or turnings. Some of these people will become turners....some collectors of turned items. An agressive demo agenda is how markets get started. Have you planted any seeds?
>Hi Terry, I do demos at a local High School 4 times a year. It's part of a program our wood turning association has been doing for a couple of years. I always bring a club member to help out. The kids do seem to enjoy the demos. The shop teacher has become a member of our association and is very interested in wood turning. This school is wrapping up a large remodel on the wood shop and has placed orders for new Powermatic 4224 and 3520 lathes. I think every club accross the country should be doing this at their local schools. It really is a lot of fun. Sean
>Our club meets in the high school shop, has our lathe located in the shop, and provides several volunteers for woodturning instruction and general woodworking assistance. We also provide a free student membership.
Everybody wins when a club works with the local high school. The students benefit from the extra teaching help in their classes. It allows the shop teacher to plan a more rigorous program. The School Board sees the active shop program as a reason to keep it going and adequately funded. The assistants get the use of the shop, and the school discount from the lumber yard. One of the many benefits to the club comes when we apply for an AAW Grant. The AAW loves to give their grant monies to clubs that have student members and will use it for youth education.
I would encourage other clubs to become active in their local high school shop program. Unfortunately, it is too late fo many schools.
