Rankin Inlet (Dec 15/04) - The air is thick with the sounds and smells of woodworking as you enter the industrial arts room at Maani Ulujuk High in Rankin Inlet.

The students are totally immersed in their work; brushes swipe back and forth under the steady drone of saws and constant clacking of wooden pieces being fitted together.

In the middle of the room, program instructor Dale Boyd surveys the creations around him with an eye for detail and more than a little pride evident in his smile.

His students are starting to excel at their work and he knows it.

Decades of experience

Boyd has brought more than two decades of experience to the high school and his carefully constructed program has become a hit with the vast majority of his students.

"We're basically following an Alberta industrial arts program," informs Boyd.

"The modules have been created so that each student is required to do written work that gives them some basic background into trees and lumber and how it's cut and measured, all the way up to sanding, finishing and painting."

Boyd says each module is geared specifically to a project.

As the students progress from basic to immediate and advanced, they learn different things about woodworking, carpentry and furniture making. "I also have modules in which the kids learn design techniques," said Boyd.

Drafting, sketching

"Others teach them some drafting, which is hand-drawing drafting, sketching and, finally, computer drafting if they're available."

The room is filled with a number of different projects, all at various stages of completion. While junior high students take part in the program, its focal point is on senior high students.

Boyd says the senior students are making everything from slanted book shelves to table and chair sets.

"This is the first year the students here have ever taken an industrial arts program this in-depth and from what I've seen to date, there's a lot of talent here.

"The students are really interested in the work and have been producing some marvellous results.

"I'm quite excited about what I may see produced before the year is over."