By Monica Ribreau

Have you ever wondered what happens when you give a group of middle schoolers some saws, sandpaper, hammers, drills, and a healthy dose of trust? The answer is magic, ingenuity, and an actual business! Sawdust Seating & More is the seventh- and eighth-grade woodworking company our students launched, and they already have 20 Adirondack chairs on order.

The middle school woodworking elective at CJDS has grown into far more than a class; it has become an exercise in entrepreneurship, where students learn what it takes to build and run a business. Instructor Dave Gerrad has transformed the class into a hub of creativity, curiosity, and craftsmanship. Most students entered the class having never held a hammer or drill. Now they’ re cutting lumber on the table saw, shaping armrests with the jigsaw, fastening pieces with nail guns, and smoothing every edge with electric sanders. Under Mr. Gerrard’ s guidance, they’ ve become hard-working young craftsmen.

Seventh- and eighth-graders sat down with their instructor and, over the course of two classes, agreed to launch an Adirondack chair business. They divided into four sub-groups, learned the basics of budgeting and borrowing, and then drafted a comprehensive business plan.

One team took on marketing, quickly producing a promotional website and a brochure to drive sales. Another group managed sales and finance, building a detailed expense spreadsheet, analyzing profit margins, and conducting market research to determine the right retail price. The production group became the designated heavy lifters, prepping lumber and materials to keep the workflow efficient. And finally, the quality control and finishing team ensured that every chair met customers’ expectations, sanding each edge until smooth, applying stains with care, and affixing a specially engraved plaque.

Students who once hesitated to pick up a hammer are now confidently measuring, cutting, assembling, and solving problems on their own. They are learning patience and resilience, discovering that plans rarely unfold as neatly in real life as they do in your mind. And they are practicing collaboration, assembling each part of their projects together and helping one another through every step.

Our ambitious woodshop is

The Charlotte Jewish News- Janurary 2026- Page 17

more than just an elective. It’ s an important reminder that kids thrive when they’ re trusted with real tools, real challenges, and real opportunities to create something from nothing. Families now have a growing collection of handmade shelves and stools, and if you’ re lucky, you may even have one of the highly sought-after, limited-edition Adirondack chairs, complete with an engraved metal nameplate.

Scan the QR code to watch a short video on how you can create your own Jewish legacy.

Want to join the growing list of CJL donors? Contact Phil Warshauer( 704) 973-4544 or Abby Kleber( 704) 973-4554.