EDGAR, Wis. (WSAW) – Students at Edgar High School are getting a hands-on education by constructing an outdoor classroom that will benefit the entire school district. The project, led by technology education teacher Greg Streit, combines practical construction skills with teamwork as students work to complete the building.
Students constructiong outdoor classroom in Edgar(wsaw)
“We just kind of work as a team and it’s been going really, really good,” Streit said.
The outdoor classroom represents more than just a construction project for the Edgar School District. It’s designed to provide additional learning opportunities across multiple programs, creating a versatile space for various educational activities.
Multi-purpose educational space
Streit envisions the outdoor classroom serving several departments within the school. The space will accommodate FFA classes and agriculture programs, working alongside the existing sugar shack where students make maple syrup each spring. The classroom will also integrate with the school’s trail system, which is used for cross-country skiing and recreational walking.
“I foresee our FFA class, our ag classes with Mr. Reinders. He has a sugar shack over here where they make maple syrup every spring. So a place for that to come into as well as the community,” Streit said. “We have a beautiful trail system here that they use for cross-country skiing and just walking and whatnot.”
Building skills and character
For Streit, the project extends beyond construction techniques. He sees it as an opportunity to inspire students and teach valuable life lessons about teamwork and process-oriented thinking.
Sophomore Logan Iczkowski, one of the students working on the project, said he hopes to gain knowledge from the experience.
“I think it’s maybe lighting a fire in some of the kids, just to show them like, hey, this is how things are built and this is how we have to work together as a team,” Streit said. “And there are steps to a process. It doesn’t just happen one day. You don’t just wake up and it’s there.”
From blueprint to reality
Each day, students meet in the classroom to discuss their tasks before heading out to work on the construction. The hands-on approach allows them to see how their efforts translate from paper plans to physical structures.
Streit’s coaching background helps him guide the students through the construction process, treating the project like managing a sports team where everyone has a specific role.
“I think that’s how you learn is if you make a mistake here or there. They’ve been great working as a team, you know, just having, you know, the background of coaching and stuff,” Streit said. “It’s kind of just like running a football team. You know, everybody’s got their job.”
The building is expected to be ready for roofing work next week, with students continuing their hands-on learning as they complete the outdoor classroom project.
Copyright 2025 WSAW. All rights reserved.
