With about two weeks of 2026 already behind us, the carpentry students are off to a strong start. The shop has been busy, focused, and full of growth as students settle back into routines and push forward with hands-on learning.
Our freshmen have officially begun their Dog House projects. A major milestone in their first year of Carpentry. Working in groups of four, each team of ninth graders is building a dog house entirely from scratch. The structure is 4’x4′ and 5′ tall. Students are responsible for designing their own plans, laying out the project, and constructing all four walls along with a 5/12 gable roof.
Each dog house includes a 2′ door opening and a 12″ x 12″ window, giving students the opportunity to think through real-world layout and framing challenges. This project introduces them to the fundamentals of building a basic shed, while also allowing them to gain experience finishing a structure with vinyl siding, interior drywall, and trim details such as baseboard and window trim.
This is an exciting stage for our freshmen as they begin to see their ideas take physical shape and develop confidence in their skills. Please take a moment to look through the pictures and see the hard work and progress these students are making as they start the new year in carpentry.
Freshman and Senior update
Just before the New Year, both the freshman and senior classes completed their first outside job of the year, putting their skills to work for an Army veteran in Middletown, PA. On this project, students gained real-world experience hanging sheetrock and applying their first coat of drywall in a Cape Cod–style home. It was an important step in moving from shop-based learning to working in an occupied home where quality, teamwork, and respect for the homeowner truly matter.
During this job, Alajah, A’aliyah, Oluwatofunmi, and Zyree experienced another major first: Cutting and installing subflooring on a live job site. Their work created a usable attic floor designed for storage while still allowing room for proper insulation. This required careful layout, precision cutting, and problem-solving to balance strength, access, and building best practices. At times, Alajah could be found crawling inside the wall cavity, attaching subflooring and ceiling joists, showing determination and grit in tight, uncomfortable conditions.
Despite cold winter temperatures, the girls also repaired the front stair railing, demonstrating perseverance and pride in their work even when conditions were far from ideal. This project showcased not only developing carpentry skills, but also teamwork, resilience, and a willingness to serve others—qualities that define what it means to work in the trades.
Sophomore highlight
Back in October, the sophomore class took on a major project: The construction of a 10′ x 16′ deck. Since breaking ground, they have grown significantly as a team, learning firsthand what determination looks like on a real jobsite. From working through deep mud to pushing on in freezing weather, these students have muscled through difficult conditions and refused to let setbacks stop their progress.
Throughout the project, students learned critical carpentry skills, including how to properly lay out and drill for posts, install a drop-in beam, and use CAMO deck hardware for a clean, professional finish. Each phase of the build required planning, communication, and trust in one another, reinforcing the importance of teamwork in the trades.
A special shout-out goes to several students who went above and beyond to help the project succeed. Annie took time outside of school to research different aspects of the job so the team could be prepared and efficient the following day. Mariemi and Mackenzie led the charge on the CAMO screw decking, ensuring consistent spacing and quality installation. Ava served as the aesthetic expert and planner, helping guide layout and visual decisions. David and Max stepped up by pouring the concrete pad for the step landing, a physically demanding task that required accuracy and commitment.
While every student on the project worked hard, these individuals put in extra effort beyond the school day to help the deck come together smoothly. Their dedication reflects the kind of work ethic and teamwork that the carpentry program strives to build in every student.
Junior update
The junior class has recently completed their second marking period push through the HVAC project, one of the most challenging and important transitions in the carpentry program. Eleventh grade is where students begin moving from simply being students to acting and performing like contractors. Expectations rise sharply, and responsibility shifts heavily onto the individual and the team.
Each group is assigned a room and team within the HVAC loft and tasked with building a fully functional bathroom, kitchen, and mudroom. This is the first project where students are expected to use their own free time to prepare for the workday ahead. They must create their own plans and present them to a “customer,” played by an academic teacher assigned to the group. In addition, students are responsible for developing a budget, ordering materials, and creating and maintaining a schedule to ensure the project is completed on time.
To date, no high school group has completed this project fully on schedule, and that reality is part of the lesson. The project exposes gaps in planning, communication, and time management while demanding accountability and problem-solving at a higher level. That said, several students stood out for their effort and growth throughout the process.
Myami demonstrated strong leadership in the bathroom area, coming the closest to maintaining schedule while staying focused and organized. She went a step further by researching and choosing to build her own floating shelves, showing initiative and attention to detail. Mateo began the project in the kitchen but was later moved to the bathroom, where he became a valuable asset, particularly with installing doors and the shower surround. Bryan showed strength in sourcing materials and building a workable schedule, along with the self-awareness to identify gaps in his group’s preparation and planning. A shout-out also goes to Sasha in the kitchen. Despite some rough patches along the way, she ultimately stepped into a leadership role and helped guide her group toward a finished product they could be proud of.
This project is intentionally difficult, and the struggle is part of the growth. The junior HVAC build continues to shape students into young professionals who understand that success in the trades requires preparation, ownership, and the willingness to learn from failure.
COOP update
Liany was selected as the Co-op Student JOC Representative for this month and had the opportunity to represent the carpentry program. In this role, she delivered a speech sharing her experiences in carpentry and co-op, reflecting on the skills she has developed and the responsibilities she has taken on through both. She also spoke about her future plans, giving insight into how her time in the program is shaping her goals beyond high school. Her selection and presentation were a strong reflection of her growth, professionalism, and the confidence she continues to build through the carpentry program.
School projects
Finally, students in the sophomore and junior classes completed a hands-on project focused on stairs, concrete slump, and concrete mix ratios. As part of this lesson, students were challenged not only to understand the theory behind concrete work, but to apply it in a practical and measurable way.
The final task required each team to design and build their own formwork and then pour a two-step concrete stair. Students had to problem-solve their own methods for successful form construction, calculate proper ratios, and monitor slump to achieve a workable and durable mix. This project emphasized planning, accuracy, and teamwork, while also reinforcing the importance of preparation in concrete work.
The winning team was Mariemi from Carpentry and Kash from Masonry, whose stair stood out for its form, finish, and overall execution. Their success highlighted the value of cross-trade collaboration and the strong skills being developed across programs.
Next months newsletter will include information about the tiny home build (featured above) we are doing for the builders show this year. It is currently being built by ECM, HVAC, Masonry, and Carpentry. As we typically do, it was designed by the senior class of carpentry. Huge shout to all carpentry students in all grade levels for your hard work and being an important part of Dauphin County Technical school.
