A Service of The Arrow           Monday March 27, 2000 8:56 PM

By: Alli Tuszynski

ARROW STAFF

The supply list for most classes includes the usual pencils, paper and maybe a ruler. For 27 juniors in Vocational Agriculture 3, the materials list looks more like 14 2x4s, 300 nails, six panels of siding and a case full of patience.

"It’s a learning experience," said junior Crystal Paine of her class’s third quarter construction unit. "I like working with my classmates and not having to sit in class."

"You just (have) to get everybody to work together," adds construction partner Jen Ripp. "You’ve got so many different personalities that you have to get to work together."

This year is Clark Krantz’s ninth year having his Ag 3 classes build sheds. The students have split into six groups, building four storage sheds, one calf shed, and one greenhouse.

"The objective is to, of course, teach some basic construction skills and give the kids the confidence using the equipment," said Krantz, adding that working in a group is also part of the learning process. "The first few weeks, everything goes pretty smoothly, then somewhere in the middle it falls apart a little, and by the end, everyone learns to work together."

The students start from scratch and do everything from squaring the initial frame to building and aligning rafters to putting on the final coat of paint. The students agree one of the bigger hurdles is getting the nail through rigid siding.

"It was really hard," said junior Jonna Wisher. "It kept getting crooked and it was harder to pound the nail through than regular wood."

"It’s hard making sure all the measurements were right," said junior Rory Buckallew. "The siding is the hardest. If one sheet was off then all three sheets were off."

The buildings take from seven to nine weeks to complete and the majority the students build specifically for themselves. Besides saving money by only paying the cost of materials — $500 to $650 — students also have the satisfaction of having built the shed themselves.

"Four of the six are for the students, and two of them are already sold to other people in the community," said Krantz. "That helps the incentive because they know it’s something for themselves.

While the construction is often frustrating, it is also educational and enjoyable.

"It gives you the experience to put up with the anger and pain from a nail," said junior Karl Lidstrom. "It’s a good learning experience and it’s fun. We learn about wood and how to work with others."

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