Mascoma Valley School District 

Amanda Isabelle, Superintendent

Rt. 4
PO Box 789
Enfield, NH 03748

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Thursday, May 23, 2019

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003

Email: [email protected]

Mascoma Valley Students Place at New Hampshire Woodworkers Competition

Students earn First through Fifth Place at Event

ENFIELD, N.H. — Superintendent Amanda Isabelle is pleased to share that several Mascoma woodworking students placed in various categories at the Guild of New Hampshire Woodworkers Student Woodturning Competition on Friday.

More than 40 Mascoma Valley Regional High School students attended the May 17 competition, which was held at Sanborn Mills Farm in Loudon, and competed in various categories. Woodturning uses a machine called a lathe, which rotates a piece of wood on an axis as the woodworker cuts, smooths and otherwise alters the wood.

“The woodturning program at Mascoma Valley has become increasingly more popular among our students, and it was exciting to watch them showcase their skills at Friday’s competition,” said David Shinnlinger, a technology education teacher at Mascoma Valley Regional High. “It was also a great opportunity to watch students compete against their peers from other schools, who share an interest in woodturning.”

Shinnlinger was also named the 2019 New England Woodworking teacher of the year on May 11 at the spring meeting of the New England Association of Woodworking Teachers (NEAWT) at Pinkerton Academy. 

“Our woodworking program has flourished over the last decade thanks to David and support from various local organizations,” Superintendent Isabelle said. “His efforts have made it possible for us to acquire more equipment and expand the program, allowing more and more students to take woodworking classes and hone their skills.”

In the platters category, Britney Lowell, a junior from Canaan, came in first place; Blake Corbin, a junior from Enfield, came in second place; Ethan Gelinas, a freshman from Enfield, came in third place; Josh Williams, a freshman from Grafton, came in fourth place; and Olivia Clifford, a sophomore from Canaan, came in fifth place.

In the segmented category, Lindsey Houston, a sophomore from Canaan, came in first place; Paige Jette, a sophomore from Enfield, came in second place; Caleb McAlister, a senior from Canaan, came in third place; and Brooke Bernier, a junior from Grafton, came in fourth place.

In the miniatures competition, Meredith Sousa, a sophomore from Canaan, came in second place. Caleb McAlister, a senior from Canaan, came in fourth.

In the hollow forms category, Austin Churchill, a sophomore from Canaan, came in third place and JT Mason, a junior from Grafton, came in fourth place.

In the spindle category, Torrie Howlett, a sophomore from Enfield, came in fourth place.

In the stools category, Asa Wood, a senior from Canaan, came in first place; Caleb Drexler, a sophomore from Enfield, came in second place; Ryan Crate, a sophomore from Enfield, came in third place; Elyas Jenkins, a sophomore from Enfield, came in fourth place; and Hagen Jandreau, a senior from Canaan, came in fifth place.

About the Mascoma Woodworking program:

The woodturning program at Mascoma High School was spearheaded by Shinnlinger after a student, Ian Taliaferro, tragically passed away in 2008. Taliaferro had wanted to learn more about woodworking, but at the time, the school only had one lathe. Shinnlinger applied for grant funding from organizations including Experiencing the Arts, the New Hampshire Association of Woodworking and the American Association of Woodturners, and eventually was able to purchase additional lathes and tools.

The school annually gives a RIKON lathe to a member of the senior class that most embodies Taliaferro’s spirit, and today the school has 10 lathes. The woodworking shop was also expanded during a school-wide renovation from 2013-2016, allowing more students to take woodworking classes. 

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