Woodworking
​
Woodworking was my primary hobby in high school only. However, the craftsmanship and ingenuity involved in constructing fine projects continues to excite and allure me. Fortunately, the Wellesley Public Schools—unlike an increasing number of districts these days—offers woodworking classes throughout middle and high school. Sixth and seventh grade focus mainly on small, pre-designed projects, whereas eighth grade transitions into full-scale furniture. At the high school, students are permitted to build almost anything—including boats! To me, there's an inexplicable joy with the hands-on process and the satisfaction of completing a project. Hopefully, I will return to the craft someday.
​
I am particularly fascinated by wood itself and the many varieties in which it appears. In fact, I have several books at home dedicated to this amazing natural resource. As such, I tried to preserve the natural integrity of my work by avoiding stains and limiting use of visible hardware. Instead, I selected boards with natural beauty in their color and gain pattern. I am also conscious about deforestation and illegal logging around the world. Consequently, I sourced lumber carefully by purchasing only from reputable sellers I could trust and used exotic pieces sparingly. So far, I've tried my hand at wood ranging from the eastern white pine I can see from my window to wenge, a dark, semi-toxic species from Central Africa.
​
Lastly, I was leader of the (still ongoing) Woodworking Club in high school, which I founded in September, 2016 with a few upperclassmen. We met in the woodshop each Monday with our wonderful instructor, Mr. Richard Peterson, and conducted a cutting/serving board fundraiser in the autumn of 2016 and 2017 to raise money for charitable organizations and to build projects on behalf of the local community. We made items for the Wellesley Police Department, the Wellesley METCO program, Wellesley Middle School, the high school's science and engineering departments, and more. Please see our achieved Facebook group and introductory presentation to the right for more detail:
_______________________________________________________________________________________
​
​
