Woodshop teacher Phil Maxwell and his class brought toys to kids at Carrie Knause and Nikkari Elementary Tuesday, Dec. 22. The woodshop classes have been working on constructing these toys for months in preparation for the Christmas season. Over 400 toys, including wooden trains, cars, and versions of the board game “Aggravation,” were given to k-5 students in the district.

Maxwell shared, “We have been planning this project since last January. We started building prototypes and getting our costs figured out and then started mass producing when we started school. It is a huge relief to have seen the project to completion. It has been a challenge dealing with Covid and meeting a deadline. I think I might go take a nap now.”

Nate March is a member of the woodshop class and, according to Maxwell, was a major part of the “brains of the operation.” March shared, “I’m helping deliver the toys, and if it wasn’t for Mr. Maxwell’s hard work and dedication, this dream would have never become a reality.”

This was a great day for the community, and it was a terrific event for both the elementary students and high school students involved. The kids were extremely excited when they were given their gifts, and it was a very meaningful experience for the woodshop students. Maxwell shared that the best part of the day was seeing “our high school kids experience the power of creating something and then giving it away.”