MCHS Carpentry Class Renovating Theater Building

ANDERSON -- McDonald County High School's carpentry class, taught by Mark Kaufman, started renovating the theater building last year, with the project continuing for students this summer. Once renovations are complete, the building will be home to MCHS's Mustang Players and the Dabbs Greer Theatre Society.

Mark Kaufman, 64, has been teaching carpentry classes at MCHS for nine years. Kaufman said his classes often do projects to benefit the school. A recent project completed by the carpentry class is the school's new special education classroom. Kaufman said his students enjoy putting work into the school and helping fellow students along the way. Kaufman's current project with his students requires multiple parts of the theater being rebuilt.

"We did the stage during the school year," Kaufman said. "We've got the walls up. We're working on platforms for the audience, the tech booth."

Kaufman said his students have built, or will build, the stage, stage walls, the audience, the tech booth, and flooring.

Dominic Blackwell, 15, is a member of Kaufman's summer carpentry class. Blackwell said when he finishes school, he'd like to pursue either a career in construction or welding, something he feels the carpentry class is preparing him for. Blackwell said he's focusing on working on the theater renovations during summer school

"I'm taking carpentry and carpentry," Blackwell said, chuckling in his seat.

Blackwell said the work he does for the carpentry class is a lot of work, but he is proud of the work he is doing and feels a sense of accomplishment in helping other students.

Kenneth Zinn, 14, is another student in Kaufman's carpentry class. Zinn said he is interested in construction because it is what his dad did.

"This has been my passion for my whole life," Zinn said. "My dad has done it for 14 years. He would always take us to work with him and we just loved it."

Zinn said he likes doing work that helps students at McDonald County High School.

"It makes me feel good that we're helping out with our school," Zinn said. "And I wouldn't care if we were helping build a house for the community," Zinn said, smiling.

Kaufman has two separate carpentry classes in the summer: a morning and an afternoon class. Kaufman said the students will continue renovating the drama building when the school year starts, inching closer to Mustang Players and the Dabbs Greer Theatre Society taking the stage.

MCHS morning carpentry class working on building the audience section in the theater building. Renovations to the theater building began last school year and will continue into the upcoming school year.