By Adam Rollins, Record Staff Writer
A group of Black Hawk Middle School students showed off months of hard work when they brought their replica of a local historical home to the Dec. 20 Warrenton Board of Aldermen meeting.About 40 eighth-graders spent three months creating a miniature replica of the 19th century house at the corner of Walton and Market streets in Downtown Warrenton.The model has individually cut wood pieces for floorboards, a shingled roof and signs of wear in the foundation. Removable roofs and second floor reveal a detailed interior with walls that look like painted plaster.Industrial technology teacher James Hardy explained the students worked in groups to create individual elements of the house, such as windows and staircases, with enough precision to fit all the pieces together at the end.“The attention to detail they had to put into it was amazing,” Hardy said. “Everything was built separate. It was like a kit home. Keep in mind these guys and girls are 13 and 14. Everything came together.”A group of six students spoke to aldermen and others in attendance about the history of the home and what they had learned through researching the project.“Black Hawk Middle School is a community of learning,” student Dakota Miller said. “We gained more than building skills when constructing this house. We learned the history of the family that built it. We learned that it takes a variety of academic skills to complete a project.”The students called upon math, history and language arts teachers to assist with the construction and presentation for the project, Dakota said. She said doing the project made the students want to be more engaged in the community and its history.Social studies teacher Darla Lonsberry said being able to take pride in their work and show it to the community makes the students more active and productive citizens.“It also instills in them that this is just a little piece of the history of the community that they live in,” Lonsberry said. “Seeing the difference in their attitudes about their community from the beginning of the project to the end of it is measurable. You can see that pride.“I think it’s a testament to what Mr. Hardy is doing. We are raising good, solid Warrenton citizens, and we should all be proud of them.”Industrial technology teacher James Hardy, right, discusses a replica of a historical home created by his students. A group of students presented the history of the home to the Warrenton Board of Alderman Dec. 20. Adam Rollins photo.
