Woodshop With Heart

Andrew Students Create Cutting Boards and Inclusive Connections

Andrew High School’s woodshop is usually filled with the buzz of saws and steady hammering—but this semester, it’s also echoing with new friendships and inclusion. Through a partnership between Woodworking students and the Ultima Program, the traditional shop has transformed into an experience built on leadership, collaboration, and connection.

This year, the collaboration is taking on a special theme: “Breaking Bread.” Woods teacher Jeff Cassidy explains that the class is going back to basics—focusing on cutting boards and charcuterie boards as symbols of the way food brings people together. “We’re emphasizing not only making and eating food, but the shared experiences that happen around it,” he said. “Cutting boards are like mini tables or serving trays that bring people together. That’s what the Ultima and Woods Collective is all about.”

Woodworking 2 & 3 students and Ultima students—who have specialized learning needs—collaborate to design and create handmade cutting boards. Supported in part by a District 230 Foundation grant, the project does far more than produce a finished product; it brings students together to teach, learn, and grow.

The cutting board project involves precise sawing, gluing, clamping, sanding, oiling, and finishing. Pairs rotate each session, giving students many opportunities to work with new partners and build a wide network of connections.

This year’s project also stretches beyond the woodshop. Students plan to make as many boards as they can and then visit the culinary classes to bake together—another shared experience around food that strengthens the sense of community. The partnership will culminate in a bake sale featuring both the handmade cutting boards and the baked goods created together. Proceeds will help support next year’s project.

Cassidy, who prioritizes inclusive opportunities in his shop, shared, “The students aren’t just crafting cutting boards—they’re creating a shared table where everyone belongs.”

The Ultima Program emphasizes independence through real-life skill practice and social-emotional development. Together, the students are not only crafting cutting boards—they are building teamwork, creativity, communication, and a brighter, more connected school community.