September 2024

For the past 16 years, eighth-graders have learned woodworking skills by creating their own storage benches in the wood shop at Hutchinson Middle School. While a single woodworking project might not seem a remarkable accomplishment on its own, the combined output of the semester-long project — which was initiated and continues under the guidance oftechnical education instructor Richard Buchholz — was impressive enough to draw the attention of a national manufacturer earlier this year.

Brandon Sell had no idea that cycling could be a lifeline — not just for his physical health but for his mental well-being as well. The revelation came after he started riding to raise funds for cystic fibrosis, a disease his son was diagnosed with at birth.