Carteret Public Schools in NJ initially partnered with Maplewoodshop to offer woodworking at its afterschool program at the middle school. It then added a woodworking elective course at its junior high school.

Introducing the Maplewoodshop Starter Program: Start small and grow!

Maplewoodshop's new starter program enables educators to introduce woodworking to their students at a smaller scale and a low initial cost.

A new addition to our family is always worth celebrating, so get your party hats and let’s celebrate all the schools and camps that have joined Maplewoodshop. We are glad to add you to our family!

As many college age students will explain, when they reach their later years of high school, teachers, advisors, and counselors begin introducing them to possible career paths. This type of preparation serves as an introduction to the typical four-year college experience, which seems to be the mainstream expectation for planning after high school.

Summer programs often emphasize traditional disciplines like math, science, history, and reading, but they also need additional ways to keep students engaged and enthusiastic about their work. Providing students the opportunity to work on hands-on, tactile projects is one example of how to keep students focused and interested on a daily basis

Summer programs often emphasize traditional disciplines like math, science, history, and reading, but they also need additional ways to keep students engaged and enthusiastic about their work. Providing students the opportunity to work on hands-on, tactile projects is one example of how to keep students focused and interested on a daily basis

On January 26th, 2022, at Maplewoodshop we hosted a webinar, The Myriad Benefits of career and technical education in Middle School, to discuss the importance of the trades, specifically woodworking, for K-12 students. I was joined by Stephen LaValva, Ed.D., the Superintendent of schools in Spring Lake, New Jersey, to summarize his experience with woodworking and education.

Granting children access to hands-on activities is one of the most constructive ways to engage and empower students. Woodworking in particular provides a safe and enthusiastic environment where students can test their ingenuity with hand tools and build confidence in their capabilities at a young age.

As these lyrics from this great song show, it’s hard to be a teenager. Middle school was always hard, learning to navigate new social constructs while coming of age oneself, awkward and unsure. Mental health issues start to emerge as a result. Physical health suffers as well.