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A Holiday Tradition for the Masonry Trades Students

The ‘Holiday Lights’ event at the Lorain County Metro Parks Carlisle Visitor Center has become a holiday tradition for the Masonry Trades students. For more than ten years, students in this career technical program have built a holiday display as part of this annual event. 

Masonry trades student position the snowman portion of their holiday lights display

The ‘Holiday Lights’ event at the Lorain County Metro Parks Carlisle Visitor Center has become a holiday tradition for the Masonry Trades students at JVS. For more than ten years, students in this career technical program have built a holiday display as part of this annual event. 

“The fun thing for me about this project is that the students don’t actually think they are learning, but this is exactly what we are doing out in the field, we are just making it out of holiday items,” shared David Rudisill, Masonry Trades instructor.

For the past few years, the students have created and painted iconic characters from the classic holiday movie, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” and this year is no different. The students have worked hard to create characters from the movie that include Cindy Lou Who, Max the reindeer-dog, and of course, the Grinch himself.

The students also add additional items to their display like a Christmas tree, snowman and even wrapped presents.

Each item is made of brick and mortar and then carefully painted. This year, 10th grade students who are shadowing the program assisted with the making and painting of the pieces.

Garrett Melton is one of the 10th graders shadowing the masonry trades program this semester and has enjoyed his time in the lab. “We get a lot of work done in here, but we also have a lot of fun and I like that.”

“I hope my family will want to come out to see the display,” said Melton. “I’d be happy to show them the work that was done in this lab.”

Visitors can vote on their favorite display, and the masonry students hope you vote for number 22 “The Grinch”. Votes are taken inside the Carlisle Visitor Center, where refreshments are also offered for a small fee, courtesy of Friends of the Metro Parks. 

You won’t want to miss these spectacular pieces designed, built and painted by JVS students! The ‘Holiday Lights’ at the Carlisle Visitor Center takes place November 29 through December 30.

Posted Tuesday, November 26, 2019