Issue link: http://educator.cta.org/i/1449741
F O R 18 Y E A R S , Lance Gunnersen has offered students an opportunity to learn and bring joy to others. Every fall, the career technical education (CTE) teacher has his woodworking and engineering students at El Dorado High School design and produce toys — cars, train cars and other items. e toys are painted by the school's art students. Students also turn the woodshop into a holiday wonderland for the elementary school kids who come to visit and receive their gifts. e young visitors are entertained with games, food, and music by the high school band. Because of the pandemic, the much-loved project was put on hold in 2020, which "devas- tated Lance," says Stephanie Davis, president of El Dorado Union High School District Faculty Association. But in fall 2021 it was back on and expanded — thanks to educators' enthusiasm and energy, and supported in large part by a CTA Community Engagement Project Grant. The El Dorado chapter joined several other CTA chapters in El Dorado County — Gold Oak Teachers Association, Mother Lode Teachers Association, and Placerville Elementary Educa- tors Association — to apply for the $1,000 grant. e money was primarily used for materials and supplies to make the toys, and transportation from the high school to participating elementary schools to deliver them. e grant covered about two-thirds of what was needed, with the chapters chipping in the rest. Gunnersen and his students ramped up pro- duction from previous years' 100 to 300 toys. "We make it like industry and figure out patterns of produc- tion," says Gunnersen, who serves on CTA State Council's A Community "Driver" Student-made toys bring joy, thanks in part to CTA grant 51 F E B R U A R Y / M A R C H 2 0 2 2 C Lance Gunnersen El Dorado High School student, elementary school children admire the toy cars.