One of the many differences that sets Sandpoint High School aside from others is the advanced glass blowing program.

Sandpoint provides students with the opportunity to produce new craftsmanship skills.

Isaac Bennett, senior, is currently standing as one of Sandpoint High School’s most experienced glass blower.

Beginning in the second semester of freshman year, Bennett jumped right into beginner’s glassblowing, starting down the path of torching and molding high temperature molten glass into all sorts of shapes and objects. Bennett has taken every glassblowing class offered and is currently in independent study, allowing him to continue to create at his own pace and help the glassblowing teacher Ezra Stafford.

Describing his first torch experience as more or less crazy, Bennett was able to jump into a different form of art, a very challenging yet rewarding style, that not many are able to attempt at a young age. From this, Bennett has been able to continue to fulfill his interest in the hobby of glassblowing.

At first failing on what is now his biggest accomplishment in glass blowing, a dream catcher.

“It [dream catcher] broke and then I kept trying and kept trying and ended up getting it, it turned out amazing,” Bennett said.

Now Bennett makes and sells glass blown marbles and he loves the challenge.

“It’s [marbles] really hard to be centered and using such small glass and making it a complete circle is very difficult when it’s hot, being the best feeling ever when it turns out good,” Bennett said.

Juniors Harmony Hendershott and Seth Piraino also enjoy glassblowing and have taken advantage of the multiple glassblowing courses at the high school.

Hendershott, starting as a freshman, will soon move into her own independent study program later this year, enabling her to also continue to make marbles, and improve on her overall skills in glassblowing.

“It’s really unique and you can make your own stuff and it’s just original,” Hendershott said.

Hendershott has overcome many obstacles within her glassblowing career, breaking lots of glass and catching her hair on fire.

She has become much more confident in her skills, loving the challenge that marbles bring to the table and making the outcome even greater.

Seth Piraino, beginning in Sophomore year, also enjoys glass blowing.

“Going into it not knowing what you’re going to make and you let your mind and creative thoughts take over, making something awesome!” Piraino said.

Piraino enjoys glassblowing as a hobby, being confident in his pendant abilities, his greatest pendant resembling a bleeding eye. Pendants are said to be very tricky and quite a challenge by Piraino, however he wants to continue to glassblowing by doing independent study next semester.

Through glass blowing, students access a creative side that can be uniquely expressed, many taking on the challenge with help of the multiple glass classes provided by Sandpoint High School.