Under a break in the rain the second week of October, Mike Hoyt swings his adze in steady rhythm, shaving ribbons of wood from a cedar log that will soon join the line of story poles in Totem Park.

He works beside Tony Harding and master carver TJ Young, taking advantage of the sunshine to hollow and true the center of a new Kadashan Red Snapper pole scheduled to be raised next summer.

The trio moves with practiced speed, trading tools, checking lines and clearing chips as the form emerges. The work echoes through the carving shed, where another project — quieter, more intimate — nears completion.

This second pole is not a remake of an older design. It is an original, commissioned by the school district for the campus commons in the outdoor courtyard area between the middle school and high school.

“They came to me and asked if I would do it, and I told them if they supply the log we’ll carve what they want,” Hoyt said. “It won’t be long until it’s finished.”

Hoyt’s design layers school pride with deep tradition. The pole — which will be about seven feet tall, less than half the size of the large poles in Totem Park — will feature a wolf to represent the Wrangell Wolves, an eagle perched above, and a human figure at the base.

“The wolf is for the school, but also a link to the historical moiety from here,” he said, explaining the region’s clan house structure. “Locally, the raven and wolf clans pre-date the raven and eagle. So the wolf on the pole connects the school to that history.”

He said the eagle atop the pole ties to both Indigenous heritage and the elementary school, while the human figure grounds the story in community.

“The human at the bottom is the link to the human history of Wrangell and all of the heritage and history here,” Hoyt said.

The school pole takes shape alongside a busy year for carvers in Wrangell. Hoyt and his colleagues have focused on new work and careful remakes, aiming to preserve designs and restore a public presence for carving.

In July, they raised five totems over three days, drawing residents and visitors to watch as crews lifted the poles and singers and drummers marked each moment.

Hoyt said the steady interest from the community — and a growing curiosity among young people — keeps him motivated. He wants students to see the process up close and, when possible, pick up tools themselves.

“This is something we want to keep going into the future,” he said. “That can’t be done without involving the youth in the process.”

After the final cuts, Hoyt will add paint to highlight key forms and features. He expects to complete the carving soon and move into finishing, though the installation date at the school has not been set.

For Hoyt, each chip and chisel mark adds to a larger story — one that ties classrooms to Native history and today’s students to the carvers who worked before them.

“I love the idea of Wrangell being recognized for its carving,” he said. “It makes me excited for what is in the future.” He paused, then added: “It’s an honor to be able to do this.”