Graduates From Mather High School Build A Legacy

NPS

Four recent graduates from the Stephen T. Mather Building Arts and Craftmanship High School, have built an off-site classroom being utilized to teach stone carving to current Mather students at Governors Island National Monument.

Recent Mather graduates, Max McGinley, Adam Richardson, Imani Wood, and Katherine Soloma, built out the classroom space as one of several projects they completed during internships with the Student Conversation Association (SCA), and the American Conservation Experience (ACE). From July to September of 2022 the interns transformed a raw storage space into a classroom and workshop for current Mather students to build new skills and work on NPS projects. In building the classroom space, the interns utilized skills they had learned while enrolled at Mather High School, including framing walls, creating architectural finishes and most importantly, collaboration and teamwork.

Following the completion of this classroom space in September of 2022, current Mather students were immediately able to learn hands-on from Chris Pellettieri, a master mason working through the NPS' experienced service program (ESP). Students involved with the class learn the skills and techniques required to shape and carve stone and gain a deeper appreciation for the historic stonework they see at Governors Island, and beyond. In the spring, the space will be used by students to reconstruct a log soldier hut for Morristown National Historical Park.

There is nothing quite like witnessing current Mather students learning new skills in a classroom built for them by their former classmates and friends. For years to come this space will continue to serve as a place of learning for the next generation of historic preservationists, where students can see how with a bit of hard work, anyone can build (or preserve) something beautiful.

A recent Mather alumni sands the walls they installed for a new classroom space on Governor's Island

NPS/LaRochelle

Two Mather students work on their stone carving projects at Governor's Island

NPS

Mather students use the completed classroom at Governors Island to work on stone carving skills.

NPS