Work of the Week

A huge engineering achievement is in the can

Every day we create incredible work across the Academy in each and every subject. This week we focus on a monumental group effort from ten students, who have been supporting the whole-school production of Hairspray.

Michael, Dylan, Marek, Ryan, Gabbi, Liam, Dillan, Stephen, Kerian and Arron have been working tirelessly on the giant-sized Ultra-Clutch hairspray as featured in the show. The oversized prop is the centrepiece of the production, as it includes fully operational doors and even a large-scale spray nozzle. This prop is particularly complex as the doors have to form a completely seamless curve.

Mr Crichton said: "The giant aerosol can started out as a circular frame. This involved cutting joints so the pieces could easily slide together, which also gave the frame additional strength. The students then bent the outer shell around the frame and nailed it into place; it was important the students worked as a team to achieve this. The doors were then precisely hung in position; to do this the students used their joinery skills to ensure that the hinges were flush to the frame so that the doors shut properly in alignment. After the construction was complete, the students painted it in duck egg blue and added the final finishing touches." 

Mr Stokes adds: "This year's school production of Hairspray showcases the largest cast we've ever seen at Leeds East Academy, with impressive props to match. This incredibly complex element of production design has been meticulously well-designed and realised, demonstrating collaborative work at its very best. Well done all for tackling this huge engineering achievement!"

Outstanding homework also qualifies for Work of the Week. Will you be featured next?