ADAMS TWP — A group of Mars High School woodworking students are involved in a charitable project that rocks.

Shawn Haywiser's advanced woodworking III and IV classes have created eight unique wooden rocking horses to be auctioned off at the school's annual Coffeehouse Gallery Art Showcase on Friday.

Although the basic structure will be identical for all horses, each will have minor distinctions to compliment the charity it will benefit.

The horse that will benefit the National Breast Cancer Foundation, for instance, was made with a pink saddle and mane.

Other charities include the Butler County Humane Society, the Lighthouse Foundation, VOICe, Hosanna Industries, the Butler County Red Cross, the Salvation Army of Butler County and the Alzheimer's Association. The students selected the charities.

Haywiser said the rocking horse charity project was born of the technical education curriculum, which is moving away from carpentry and toward pre-engineering. Since one section involves learning about manufacturing, he and students began talking about what they could do with their finished product.

"The idea was really a result of talks with the kids in advanced woodworking," Haywiser said.

The students then created a master chart with a schedule of when each component of the project needed to be complete. They also voted on a class manager to oversee the project and planned each horse's design.

Haywiser said once the horses, which measure 46 inches long by 33 inches high, were assembled, they were customized with different shades of stain before being fitted with distinct features.

"It gives (the students) the opportunity to have 100 percent ownership in what they're doing," Haywiser said. "The kids are really excited about it because it gives them a chance to give back in some way."

Haywiser is excited to see how much each charity will take in as a result of the horse auction.

"People tend to give more if they know their money is going to a good cause," Haywiser said. "I would be happy to get $150 to $175 apiece."

Senior Marshall Hutchison said he is glad the technical education department is involved in a charitable project.

"There are not many chances for us to give donations, but now our school has given us the chance to help," he said.

Hutchison said he and his peers decided to choose several charities as beneficiaries instead of just one. He said some of that choice came from personal experience.

Senior Jonathan Luciana suggested Hosanna Industries because the home-building group originated at his church, First Presbyterian of Bakerstown. Luciana said knowing the horses would benefit local charities got all the advanced woodworkers excited about the project.

"We were pretty gung-ho once we knew we were going to do something for charity," he said. "We (worked) on it every day in wood shop."

Hutchison said all 20 wood shop students involved will work a shift at the auction so they can experience the bidding process. Haywiser will join them.

"A lot of credit should be given to Mr. Haywiser," Hutchison said. "He got us interested, and he was the real mastermind behind it all."

Haywiser, who has taught tech-ed at Mars for seven years, is thrilled with the attitude taken on by the students.

"It's an aspect of teaching that gets to you," he said. "It's nice to see the kids giving more than what's required of them."

<B>WHAT: </B>Coffeehouse Gallery Art Showcase featuring arts, music, refreshments and a handmade rocking horse auction for charity<B>WHEN: </B>6 to 10 p.m. Friday<B>WHERE: </B>Mars High School