By Zack Sosnovich

A Senior Project That’s for the Birds

My goal was to bring some joy to the elderly residents at Bishop Wicke Nursing Home in Shelton, by placing some birdhouses in the courtyard. My Great Grandma Sosnovich lived there for a year, and she loved cardinals and watching the birds. Unfortunately, she passed away last December before she was able to see the results of my project. In the process of making these birdhouses, I learned woodworking skills from my grandfather.

The Goal

Before starting, I had to contact the administrator of the nursing home to get permission for this project. She thought it was a great idea. The one request she made was that I made the birdhouses with hinged doors so the groundskeepers could clean them at the end of the season.

The Plan

The Blueprint

The first step of the process was measuring where I had to cut the wood.

I marked off where the cuts had to be made with a pencil.

Step 1

The next step was to cut the wood.I used a handsaw and table saw to do this.

Step 2

The third step was to sand the wood.I had to sand so the wood was smooth and

easy to work with.

Step 3

After the cutting and sanding were done, it was time to begin to nail it together.

Step 4

The fifth step was to drill the hole into the house.

Step 5

Once the birdhouses were assembled, the next step was to paint them.

Step 6

I had three brass plaques made at Blanchette’s in Shelton to honor the memory of my Great Grandma Sos.

Step 7

The last step was to put the chains on the top of the birdhouses and nail the plaques to the front of each one.

Step 8

The Finished Products

Where They’re Going

My mentor was my grandfather. He supplied me with all of the tools and wood. He showed me how to safely use everything. I learned new woodworking skills from him. He was a big help in this project, and I’m glad I got to work with him.

My Mentor

Overall, I enjoyed doing this project. Not only do I get to brighten up the lives of the senior citizens at the nursing home, but I gained some important skills. I haven’t had much experience with using some of the tools, like the table saw and belt sander. I’ve really never built anything before, so seeing the finished product gave me a great sense of accomplishment.

Wrap Up

Me & Great Grandma Sos