INUVIK - Every project Gord Church and his students work on is another accomplishment for them and the community.

Church is the Career and Technological Studies (CTS) teacher at Samuel Hearne Secondary school.

Woodworking students Jonathan Archie and Sammy Lennie Jr. work on a wall for a small shed. The two students are part of Gord Church's Career and Technological Studies class at Samuel Hearne. The class focused on working with their hands to learn new skills. - Dez Loreen/NNSL photo

He works with his students to create projects that will help them gain useful skills.

The class has been busy with many woodworking projects, like constructing picnic tables for the school foyer and others.

Church said he has three classes in the school with about 15 students each.

"We do everything from pottery to wood framing," said Church.

Church said that making the model houses was a project that taught the students about what is involved in framing a house.

"They learned skills and information that will help in other projects," said Church.

"Model building prepares them for the real thing."

Church said that working hands on is important for the students because it gets them ready for tomorrow.

"I think it prepares them for true life situations," said Church.

"One of the benefits of CTS is that it builds skills."

Working with a wide range of students is also fun and challenging for Church.

"One group might want to work on different things, so it's always changing," he said.

"One class might like electrical a lot more, so we work more on that unit."

Church said the class provides most of the supplies for their projects by selling their projects once complete.

The class has sold wooden chairs, tables and is now constructing a shed for an Inuvik resident.

"We're one of the programs in the school that makes enough money to keep ourselves going," said Church.

"Once we sell a project, we plan another one and buy supplies and maybe equipment."

Church and his students were out on the site earlier this week, assembling a frame for the shed that's now being built. Student Sammy Lennie Jr. said the class was good, although he had missed some time and needed to catch up on his woodworking skills.

"We're working on the frame right now, reinforcing the walls," said Lennie.

"It's been fun."

Church said the tables in the foyer were a good example of finding a need and filling it.

"The students needed somewhere to sit and work, so we designed some tables to fill space in the foyer," said Church.

"They're quite popular and durable."

Church has a series of projects in mind for his students next year. He wants to build play houses to sell.

The crew of woodworkers has also been known to help around the school when things need fixing.

"We go where we're needed," said Church.