This past semester, two Grade 9 students took on an ambitious project in shop class: building custom mini-bike frames to house engines they sourced online.

The project required a multi-step process of design, construction, redesign, and refinement. Through this hands-on experience, the students encountered a variety of design challenges, including optimizing the placement of the steering, wheels, and chain, among other components.

Throughout the project, the students developed their problem-solving and critical thinking skills as they encountered and addressed design challenges. They also gained valuable experience in metalworking, refining their skills with each adjustment and modification to the frame. They expanded their knowledge of small engine mechanics and the problem solving processes involved with them.

One of the most rewarding moments came when the first mini-bike was fully assembled and completed its first lap around the parking lot. This achievement demonstrated not only their technical skills but also their perseverance and ability to collaborate effectively to bring a complex project to life.

Each bike wouldn’t have been completed without a custom seat made with the help of the students' grandmas. One seat is made from reused snow pants and the other from the hide of a former farm goat named “Tango”. 

This project is a great example of what Salmo Secondary is: a small and dynamic rural school where students achieve amazing things.