Eighth grade students enrolled in Robert Ciaccio’s construction arts elective at Rocky Point Middle School combined hands-on learning with community service when they recently created and donated handcrafted napkin holders to a local veteran’s organization.
The project began with students building napkin holders individually to understand the time, precision and effort required to complete a single piece. Afterward, students transitioned to a station-based production model that reflected real-world manufacturing practices.
Once the projects were completed, the students collectively decided their work should be donated to local veterans. Using a laser engraver, students designed and engraved a message on each napkin holder reading, “Thank you to our veterans.”
Working in stations that included laser engraving, quality control and finishing, the students demonstrated the efficiency of collaboration. While individual builds took nearly three weeks to complete, students working together produced two napkin holders in less than five minutes.
To prepare the items for donation, students participated in a “bucket brigade,” passing each piece hand to hand to collect, inspect and box the napkin holders. The activity was modeled after the bucket brigades used during the Sept. 11 attacks and served as a powerful lesson in unity and service.
Throughout the project, Mr. Ciaccio emphasized meaningful lessons about teamwork, craftsmanship and giving back to the community. Students shared that working in the shop environment felt therapeutic and helped strengthen connections with classmates.
The project allowed the students to build technical skills while demonstrating how classroom learning can be used to make a positive impact beyond school walls.
Photo captions:
- Local veteran Joseph Cognitore with student Sabrina Manno.
- From left, local veteran Joseph Cognitore with students Giulietta Troise, Annalyse Spinelli and Ella Solomon.
Photos courtesy of Rocky Point UFSD
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