When senior Chris Reichel used the pottery wheel in his ceramics class, it hurt his back.  “The old pottery wheel was too low, and I had to lean forward which was very painful on my back,” he explained.

But then his paraprofessional, Philip Gonzales found out about a type of potters wheel that would be easier for Reichel to use.  “I found out about the Model 16 from local ceramics dealers,” Gonzales explained.  The wheel, which was paid for by Federal Stimulus Funds, is a Brent Model 16 adaptive potter’s wheel.  “It’s different from a normal wheel in that it has a special frame that holds it in any position you want. That makes it so you can adjust the position for the special needs of the user,” Gonzales said.

Gonzales explained that the wheel is important to Edina High School, “In the future, there will always be kids who have disabilities, and some of them won’t be able to use the regular wheels.”   

Reichel explained, “I like pottery because I like the feeling of the clay and I like making things on the wheel.”  Soon Chris will be able to complete his first project.  In the meantime he’s still “getting used to working with the clay on the wheel.”