TA News

TA’s Design Technology class teamed up with WindowDressers and the Joint Thetford Energy Committee to help Thetford’s Latham Library save energy this winter. WindowDressers, based in Rockland, ME and working throughout New England, “brings community volunteers of all economic and social situations together to improve the warmth and comfort of interior spaces, lower heating costs, and reduce carbon dioxide pollution by producing low-cost insulating window inserts that function as custom, interior-mounted storm windows.”

The Joint Thetford Energy Committee has worked successfully with WindowDressers for several years to help build these energy-saving window inserts for local residents. This year, Thetford Academy stepped in to help with student volunteers from its Design Technology class. Chris Schmidt, TA’s design technology teacher, led his students through the build process, starting with a field trip to Latham to measure the library’s 28 windows.

Back in class, students carefully constructed the pine frames, then painted them to match the trim inside the library. The process took several weeks, but the frames were ready in time for students to join WindowDresser’s regional assembly day in Hanover. The field trip to Hanover allowed students to use WindowDressers’ assembly line and jigs to wrap the frames in plastic on both sides and then surround them with foam weather stripping.

Ready to go, the students made a final trip to Latham to install the window frames. The new inserts will provide the library a warmer and more fuel-efficient winter, and the experience has been a rewarding service-learning project for TA students.