Jason Unrau
Northern News Services

Inuvik (Nov 04/05) - Trying to live up to last spring's hugely successful outhouse project, this year's Samuel Hearne carpentry class was hard at it, finishing up three sheds at the school's woodshop this week.

Todd Gruben eyes things up as Paul Rivard watches. For the past two weeks, Samuel Hearne industrial arts students have been constructing sheds in the school's work room. - Jason Unrau/NNSL photo

"These could be fishing houses or garden storage. If we can sell them like (the outhouses) last year, sure and if not we'll tear them down and use all the material for something else," said teacher Gordon Church of the structures, which resembled miniature portables.

"And we get it done before (public works), it doesn't take two years," Church quipped, referring to the closure of Samuel Hearne secondary school that had the department of Public Works scrambling for alternate venues.

While the goal of creating the sheds was to teach students the art of crafting roof lines and trusses, learning about recycling is also a component of the class, as much of the material used by students has been scavenged (with permission, of course) from various build-sites around town.

As the outhouses sold out last spring, interest has been stirred about what's going on at the student woodshop class this year. Church said he's also been approached by a local individual about building a chapel, so that will be the next group project.

"We'll probably build it and take it on the land in pieces," said Church.

For student Todd Gruben, building these sheds has got him thinking about a career in carpentry.

"I like what I'm doing in this class. It's enjoyable and fun," he said.

When asked if he thought the class could beat public works in a crunch, his said "Definitely."

All teasing aside, students in the woodshop agree that carpentry is tops.

"I decided to take it because my cousin was," said Tiffany Hansen. "But it's better than any other course I'm in. It's something different."