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HANCOCK -- The classroom's location might have moved, but you can still recognize the same fine detail that Gary Mishica's high school metal shop class puts into its copper art.  The Hancock Shop moved from the middle school to the high school this fall.

At a time when many schools are facing budget cuts, the students are helping fund a portion of the shop's budget by selling the pieces they've created.  They've raised around $3,000 each year.  The shop's budget is $7,000, cut in half from last year's $14,000 budget.

"I was informed that I'm going to have to use some of the money we make from copper art sales just to buy supplies and materials; that, in the past, the district was able to provide us with," said Mishica.

The classroom art is a time consuming process that starts with sheets of copper.  After tracing the design from a pattern, students cut it out, then use a hammer to make tiny dents all over the copper piece.  It's cleaned, then colored using a blow torch and cold water.

"It takes a long time," said junior Kyle Kearon.  "I'm not going to lie.  We got to work a long time to sell what we sell.  It's a lot a fun.  You learn new tricks that help you out later in the class."

And there are several different designs, including angels, hummingbirds, and leaves.  Each one is lacquered, then wrapped for their two retail outlets--the Quincy Mine Gift Shop in Hancock and Copper World in Calumet.

"Our long-term goal, of course, is to hopefully find a budding young artist who will stick with it and hopefully come and work with us on a full-time basis," said Copper World owner, Tony Bausano.

And the copper art at Copper World sold well this summer.  Bausano says he ran out of several items, so students are hard at work refilling the supply in time for Christmas shopping.