Exploring technology students build benches for high school

{Kizer, Harvey, Harris} Guests at high school concerts have new seats to rest on in the auditorium lobby.  

The three smooth and sturdy red oak benches look like they were purchased straight from a furniture store. But they weren’t.

The benches were handmade by Philipsburg-Osceola students.

For the past several weeks, 17 students in John Bober’s Exploring Technology class have cut, shaped, assembled and refined three red oak benches. The ninth graders not only learned the skills necessary to complete such projects, but they helped to serve their school and the community as well.

In the past, visitors would sometimes lean or sit on the school’s heaters, damaging the equipment. So the students moved the benches into the lobby, providing a place for visitors to sit during school events.

“This year, the school showed a need and we decided to do something for the school,” Mr. Bober said.

In the past, students would create individual projects for themselves to take home. But the class took a different approach this year and made something useful for everyone.

Each bench is 7 feet long and 19 inches high. Every student in the class had a certain job to do to complete the finished product.