Neurodivergent young adults find confidence through woodworking

ROSWELL, Ga. (Atlanta News First) - Grey Eaton knows a thing or two about woodworking.

“I was asked to fill in for two weeks,” he said of his initial time with Eaton Academy, which his family founded nearly 30 years ago. “I’ve now been here 10 years.”

One minute, he’s helping a student with a drill. The next, he’s working with a sander. There are even old-school hand drills and utensils he teaches students to use.

Eaton Academy is a K-12 school that works with students who don’t fit the traditional mold. The students in Grey’s workshop Wednesday afternoon are in their early twenties.

And that’s where all this wood comes into play.

“We do a lot of refinishing,” Eaton said. “We do repairs around the school.”

For kids who often don’t feel included in the outside world, it’s a chance to grow.

“This is the best part of my day. 100%,” said Carson Hanley.

“I made a table for my room,” said Isaiah York. “Yeah, it’s like a table but shorter.”

The work can be time-consuming.

“A lot of sanding,” Hanley said. “A lot of sanding.”

But the final touches include a shine that isn’t physical: confidence.

“They underestimate their ability to do things,” Grey said. “They really have the talent.”

The talent to learn new motor skills, get jobs, and learn new hobbies.

“There are ways of being able to do things they never thought they could do,” he said.