Elma High School students and SkillsUSA members recently worked with the Elma Police Department on a welding project.

The students were approached by the department to create a stand for a new “bullet trap” the department purchased.

The project required the students to problem solve and design an adequate stand which could support the weight of the bullet trap as well as take up as small of a footprint as possible.

Students working on the project were Mason Swartz, Owen Swartz, Corbin Wickstrom and Michael Warne.

“The best part of this project is that we are creating an item that will be used by real people, often times we work on practice pieces instead of real world problems and projects,” Mason Swartz said.

The project was completed as a class assignment in conjunction with the student ran enterprise Eagle Industries.

Eagle Industries is a business which is run by the students in Tyler Renz’s ag construction and ag mechanics classes.

Through the enterprise, students learn to work with customers and create quality products which they sell through various events.

This year the students created and sold $1,500 worth of projects which they took to the Holiday Bazaar at the Grays Harbor County Fairgrounds in Elma.

Eagle Industries and the students also work with other organizations at the school on fundraisers and awards for sports teams. They will be working with the SkillsUSA chapter to help fundraise for hotel and travel expenses related to state and national competitions.