Ukes with kids is the reason I have been reading this site. I teach middle school woodshop, some students in this age group are just the best. Still kid enough to be a little silly and fun, but old enough to switch it off and get serious with a tool. The few students who have an idea to make something and the drive to do it, I can't help but get behind them 100%. I have done some CBG's with them, but they still feel like a toy, and I believe the satisfaction to work ratio is drastically lower than just making a real uke. I have also done many kalimbas (thumb pianos) with them, very popular, as well as a couple of marimbas. My summer work now is to set up to make parts for parent child groups to build from any level, from kit assembly to scratch. Each year I have done a demo with the fox bender, then I bring in the hot pipe and let them try it a bit. I lucked into some boxwood strips for wainscotting, 1/8 x 2", I thin them to .070 and have a stack for the kids to try, which means break most of the time, but a few will have the determination to keep trying until they can make a nice curve. If you can set this student up with some similar practice strips to take with her I am sure it will be appreciated. I just had my last day on Friday, and the 2 students who convinced their parents to buy them scroll saws were given all the wood left in the shop for their summer projects, and my contact info in case they need more. As much satisfaction as I received from completing my first guitar is relatively little compared to the experience of sharing this love with students. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and experience with us here Pete, but the thanks from young students is on a different level.
Rob
