THOMASVILLE- Students at Thomasville’s Scholar Academy have a reason to be extra excited for the annual Christmas parade, as Mr. Charlie Gammel’s shop class built the Habitat for Humanity float that will be parading down the street. 

Morgan Hires, a student in Gammel’s class works at Habitat for Humanity and had been speaking with Sue McFadden, Design and Development Director for the Thomasville-Thomas County Habitat for Humanity, about what the class was capable of creating. 

McFadden then reached out to Gammel and inquired about the students creating a float for Habitat to use in the parade. 

Gammel was thrilled to have his students take on the task, as it the largest one they’ve had so far. 

The float is designed to look like the frame of a house, with a white picket fence surrounding it. 

“I really wanted a picket fence, so they actually salvaged one from a school neighbor who was renovating his property,” McFadden said. 

The beast of a creation will measure in at 11 ft wide. and have the students walking alongside it. 

“Some of the kids had never been involved in the parade, so we are going to put them in matching tee shirts and hats,” McFadden said. 

Gammel said the students are excited about the project and it shows just how much the program has evolved over the years. 

“The program was originally for drama,” he said. “We built backdrops and sets for one act, and then we built furniture for teachers such as end tables, but this is by far our largest creation.” 

Gammel explained that in order to build the float, he purchases all the materials the students use. Following the completion of the project, Habitat for Humanity will then pay back the shop with reduced labor charges, as it provides students the opportunity to learn. 

Not only does it provide a unique opportunity, but Gammel said the class has expanded so much that for the first time this semester, students from Thomasville High School are participating with the Scholar Academy students to complete a pathway. 

“Now they can get a pathway through construction,” Gammel said. 

While Gammel is unsure that anyone will follow through with going to trade or tech school to go into the construction field, he said a lot of the students are involved in constructing projects with their dad at home. 

Gammel said this will be their final project before wrapping up the semester, and he will begin with a new class in January, who will have to take tool safety tests and various other equipment tests, but if all goes well, he could possibly make another class construct a Rose Parade Festival float.