Canfield senior finds her niche in woodworking

CANFIELD

A Canfield senior chose a new experience in a wood technology class to further her creative horizon and independence.

Lily Hodge said between seeing ideas on Pinterest and being an active participant in an advanced art class, her decision to take wood tech seemed like a good combination of the two.

“It’s actually really fun to build your own stuff,” Hodge said. “I learn to do things for myself a lot.”

John Ihnat, industrial technology teacher, said she really amazed him by doing so much on her own.

“Some [students] you have to work closely with and I didn’t have to too much [with Hodge],” Ihnat said. “She did really well.”

Ihnat said she carries over her drawing skills from advanced art to wood tech, bringing them to 3-D fruition.

Hodge said she also utilized her wood tech skills while she volunteered at a Habitat for Humanity house.

“I knew how to use all the tools in there and all the other girls had to paint,” she said.

Hodge said not only were her parents, Keri and Bob Hodge, shocked when she told them she was taking the class, but her friends were as well.

“Not a lot of girls do it — I think they think it’s more of a boy thing to build stuff,” she said. “None of my friends took it, but it’s cool to do something different and open yourself up to new experiences. I didn’t think I was going to like it as much as I did.”

Read more about this budding craftswoman in Friday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.