The St. Louis High School Woodshop passed out toys at the St. Louis Christmas Parade Dec. 1st. 

Coinciding with the Saint Louis Community Holiday Parade, the SLHS Woodshop led by Mr. Maxwell, made toys for local Saint Louis families. The toys made by the program were passed out at the Saint Louis Christmas parade, and later every child at Ithaca and Saint Louis elementary will get a toy as well. According to Maxwell, “With this project, we really want to give hope to a society that doesn’t usually serve one another.” Maxwell continued, “I really love the part of giving back and training others to develop that same desire.  I also love seeing the students working together and problem solving any issues that come about.”

The Woodshop has been doing this project annually for four years, with members making 1,400 toys this year alone. The toy models consist of buses, race cars, bubble cars, tractors, jeeps, little buds, trains, and planes. According to Grant Bebow, “I really enjoyed working on this project with the rest of Woodshop. I feel like we make a difference for all the kids in St. Louis.” This project is crucially beneficial to the community as it provides gifts for children who may not receive anything this Christmas otherwise. 

Making toys for the holiday season is an SLHS woodshop tradition that is sure to continue for many years to come. An engaging program for the students in woodshop while simultaneously being beneficial to the community both in the holiday parade and the elementary schools across Gratiot County. “The best part of this project is seeing the kids in the woodshop work together to solve problems that come up. It’s a learning experience for everyone involved,” Maxwell closed.