Mr. Pistner teaches many different types of shop classes here at CAJSHS and builds many projects throughout the year. One of the most recent projects was built in his Construction Systems class, a gun rack for the Lawrence Township Police Department. In previous years, the class has built bookshelves for the school, sets for the school plays and musicals, and other small projects depending on what the school wants or needs.

In this very small class of six with varying grade levels, students Matt Brown, Tyler Olsen, Briana Miller, Martin Daub, Matt Stiner, and Justin Hand put this project together rather quickly. Mr. Pistner states, “With planning and preparation of blue prints from start to finish this project took about 2 weeks.” This gun rack is being used by the Lawrence Township Police Department and is currently in their evidence room. After this project was completed, the students began working on a Little Free Library that will be given to Mrs. Kronenwetter at the elementary school. The Little Free Library will be donated to a local park in memory of her daughter who passed away.

Mr. Pistner believes that this class and many of his other shop classes are beneficial to students regardless of whether or not they are going to pursue this as a profession later on. He explains, “I think learning skills that help better your community and yourself are really important and that’s one of the things this class looks at with the ‘client – builder’ relationship that this class takes on. I try to make this class feel like it is a day of work where you have a job doing ‘construction,’ to make it as relatable as possible to real life.” Watch out for many other great projects this class and Mr. Pistner’s other shop classes have to offer.