It's a hands-on, real-world classroom

The group of 16 Wrenshall students quickly separated into small groups outside the Carlton VFW last week, as they hammered and cut the final pieces of the walk-in cooler they'd been building since September. Carter Woodall climbed a ladder to hammer nails into the fascia above, while Tyler Scott held the ladder to make sure his classmate didn't fall. Another group added trim - a job they had to start over - while others took turns drilling, sawing and hammering elsewhere on the tan and sage addition.

It's been a joint project, with the Wrenshall construction class students coming over for almost an hour a day to work on the 16-by-16-foot cooler and half a dozen VFW volunteers working on parts the students didn't, completing all the roof and concrete work.

"Each kid had their own little job to do," said Carlton VFW Commander Randy McCuskey. "They were in groups and he (the teacher) kept them busy doing it and, and lo and behold, we are almost done."

The cooler will give VFW staff and distributors more space to stock and cool drinks, without having to walk up and down the stairs to the basement. It will also allow the VFW to utilize its off-sale license.

"We never had the capacity before," McCuskey said.

It was McCuskey (at his wife's suggestion) who reached out to Wrenshall vocational ed teacher Chris "Gus" Gustafson to see if the school was interested in partnering with the VFW on the project.

Gustafson called it a "win, win, win, win project" for the school and the veterans group. He was pretty enthusiastic.

"It's not often kids can do something and see it used," he said. "Plus, the community likes to see what we do. It would have been quicker with [professionals] but this was very educational."

Students can take the construction class if they've completed a ninth-grade technology class that introduces them to the basics of power tools," Gustafson explained.

Out of half a dozen kids interviewed for the story, all agreed they liked the class and enjoyed working on the building addition ... for various reasons.

"I took this class so I can learn about this trade, and so I wouldn't have to take environmental science," admitted Woodall. "And it's an option as a job."

Fellow senior Tyler Scott said he wants to be a carpenter or electrician.

"It's my favorite class because I like Gus and working outside, not being in class," said 10th-grader Faith Solomon.

Her three fellow female students concurred. The other three-fourths of the class is male, which doesn't thrill sophomore August Wyman.

Another bonus was having the students work with retired carpenter and VFW facilities manager Neil Vermeersch under "real-life work conditions" - which occasionally included some salty language, McCuskey said with a chuckle.

"The kids learned a lot from him," Gustafson said.

Vermeersch designed the building and the VFW paid for all the materials. McCuskey estimated the VFW saved about $12,000 by working with students instead of hiring all professional labor.

"That's a lot for a nonprofit organization like us," he said. "And I think they learned a lot."

"We'll have the kids come back in December and give them some gift cards and a chili dinner to say thanks," McCuskey said.