"I have been a teacher for 24 years, and administrator for 15 years, nine of those a Principal at Valhalla High School. The 24 years of teaching included industrial tech (shop) classes and visual arts (ceramics, drawing/painting, photography, crafts) classes.
The challenges facing the "shop" teacher were, and are, very difficult. Most of the equipment is more than 30 years old, the facilities the same, and the acquisition of supplies/materials for students to work with a result of a very inadequate budget (usually less than $500.00 for the entire program of 3 to 5 classes) and heavily reliant on donations and "scrounging" for what one could get. The thought of doing anything new and dynamic was out of the question.
Then came along Bob Taylor, Diane Magagna, and the East County Economic Development Council Foundation. For 10 years now the money and resources they have supplied to programs and teachers in our District [GUHSD] have made a tremendous difference. The implementation of the Guitar Manufacturing classes on select campuses, upgrades in equipment needs at various District shop programs, and the supplemental supply/material monies for each shop teacher in the District have brought renewed enthusiasm, meaningful program improvements, and pride in student work that is unprecedented in our District. Yes, all of you that have given to these programs and this cause have made a most significant difference in the way we do our work and meet the needs of students. Thank you so much!
I sincerely hope the culture of our current society changes to recognize the value and importance of teaching fabrication skills to our students to use in the world of work or in the tasks one is confronted with throughout the adventure of life. Dreaming a vision, visualizing that vision, planning how to make that vision a reality through creative problem solving, and finally creating the vision into a three dimensional product is one of the most rewarding experiences a human being can achieve."
Larry Martinsen
Valhalla High School
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