Henniker students showcase hands-on projects as Practical Arts class emphasizes belonging and life skills

Miss Anne Cracks, the Practical Arts teacher at Henniker School, told the Henniker School Board on June 4 that the program this year centered on student choice and helping pupils “find their passions.”

Cracks said students across grades designed projects and small businesses, managed budgets and learned practical skills such as cooking, woodworking, stage design and basic machine construction. She described the classroom as intentionally varied, with “10 different things going on” at times so students can follow self-directed learning. A student quoted during the presentation said, “It's my favorite subject because you can express your feelings and make projects you want.”

The presentation highlighted several class projects. Sixth graders formed team-run businesses that included a food stall and a sports store that ordered custom hats. One student created a skateboard-themed “waterfall park” project; others worked on wood-burning designs for cutting boards and built a refurbished storage shelf as a class legacy project. Cracks said the shelf’s redesign involved nearly every eighth grader and honored a former custodial staff member while giving students a tangible, collaborative outcome.

Cracks described Practical Arts as both utilitarian and aesthetic, teaching students to make decisions as teams and to experience consequences and collaboration: "PA teaches you important life skills like the basics of cooking and making decisions," she said. The program also included a multi-course “Taste of the Americas” meal researched and prepared by fifth- and sixth-graders, and activity rotations that allowed students across grades to try different stations such as soldering, jewelry and simple machine construction.

Students’ comments read aloud during the presentation emphasized skill-building and social benefits. One fifth-grader said Practical Arts “helps me make decisions” and another said the class offers “a way to show my feelings, who I am and what I can do.” Cracks noted that some students who initially felt left out in theater work later became leaders after participating in stage design, costumes and props.

Board members and staff praised the program’s range and the students’ work. The presentation included photos and examples of student projects and concluded with Cracks thanking custodial staff for helping with a renovation project and recognizing students’ leadership across rotations.

Board members moved on to committee reports after the presentation.