Sawdust Scholars - Help Fund our Fine Woodworking Class

My name is Forest Taylor, and I am the new fine woodworking teacher at L&G, as well as a builder in southern Vermont. This year marks my first year of teaching, and I’m thrilled to carry on the legacy of my mentor, who has dedicated over 30 years to teaching and countless years in the trades as a fourth-generation cabinet and furniture maker. As we embark on restructuring the class, we are reaching out for support from the community and beyond.

Our mission is to inspire and guide high school students in exploring and excelling in fine woodworking, design, and blue-collar trades. We believe in the importance of traditional craftsmanship and are committed to providing young creators with access to essential tools, high-quality materials, and comprehensive resources. Through hands-on learning experiences and mentorship, we strive to ignite creativity, instill a strong work ethic, and equip the next generation of artisans with the skills and confidence they need to pursue their passions and thrive in their chosen careers.

Currently, our school budget has only allowed us to acquire a limited number of tools, and the funding for our classroom remodel has primarily come from myself and a few dedicated community members. This is where we need your help!

We are launching this GoFundMe campaign to create a funding page for multiple projects, including materials for remodeling our classroom with built-in cabinetry (renderings in media), which myself, some students, and other community members will be building voluntarily. Each locker will be equipped with individual tools. We aim to enrich our fine woodworking class with new sharpening jigs, dovetail hand saw jigs, specialty planes, shave horses, design/build literature, and to restock our lumber inventory.

Your generous support will help us improve classroom efficiency and safety while providing comprehensive materials, tools, and resources. Together, we can build a supportive community network within the trades and empower the next generation of artisans. Thank you for considering a contribution to our mission!