Number of Participants: 1
Hours Donated: 10
Value of Time Served: $85
Event Type: Veterans & Military Families
Sport: Team
Date: March 1, 2018
Location:
Long Beach
NY, USA
About:
Long Beach High School’s Woodworking students and teacher Eric Heck have a patriotic project under way that they plan to share with others beyond the district. Two classes have been constructing large wooden American flags that they will distribute to Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
The groups are creating a total of 10 flags; five for the Northport VA Medical Center and five for smaller clinics throughout Long Island. They spent time cutting scrap wood using table, miter and band saws, staining field strips red and blue and assembling them to form the design. The flags are nearing completion and are now in their final phases. Students are attaching the frames, painting the stars on and applying polyurethane.
The Woodworking classes started doing community outreach projects the year of Superstorm Sandy. They made several Adirondack chairs, which were raffled off to raise money to replace some of the equipment and materials that the technology department lost in the storm.
“Ever since then I’ve tried to incorporate a community outreach project into the curriculum each year,” said Mr. Heck. “I think it’s essential for the students to understand the importance of volunteerism and community improvement and it’s my hope that they will gain a sense of pride that comes from putting effort toward a project or accomplishment that benefits and brings joy to someone other than themselves.”
Photo Caption: Long Beach High School’s Woodworking students have been constructing large wooden American flags that they will distribute to Veterans Affairs medical facilities.
Photo courtesy of Long Beach Public Schools