Improving the makerspace
WMS uses $400K grant
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CALUMET -- Earlier this year, the Michigan Department of Education awarded a $400,000 grant to Washington Middle School (WMS) in Calumet for its Middle School Advanced Manufacturing program. Four months later, CLK schools is looking forward to putting its improved makerspace to use.
WMS Principal Troy Reuter said middle school students will be a part of the MEERA skilled trades curriculum to learn more about industries primed to recruit young talent in the area. "The grant that we received allowed us to purchase a lot of equipment that you would see in a lot of our local businesses around here," he said. "This area is a really large manufacturing area, and it's always expanding."
Some of the new technologies purchased with the grant include CNC machines, programmable mini robotic arms, virtual welding and 3D printers.
STEM Teacher Michael Goldsworthy said in a statement to The Gazette, because children are still finding out what they want to do for a career, introducing them to trades and manufacturing skills can be critical for future development.
"Middle school-age is a very influential age. The grant aims to take students and expose them to all the hands-on industry leading jobs like welding, manufacturing CNC machining and so much more that we have right here in our community," he said. "Washington Middle School aims to take the bull by the horns and lead with exposing our students to all the opportunities and possibilities surrounding us."
MEERA (shortened from Manufacturing and Engineering Education Reimagined for All) is an initiative from state government to try and bolster Career and Technical Education (CTE) for historically rural or underserved communities.
"Throughout the MEERA program, middle schoolers will immerse themselves in an interactive, student-centered lab with hands-on activities and teaching. They'll explore innovative, industry-relevant technology across MEERA's distinct manufacturing disciplines," MEERA stated in a letter sent to CLK parents. "They will learn how each of these disciplines work and discover community-based career pathways and regional opportunities for a future career centered on growth and advancement."
Reuter said this opportunity is open to all middle school students at Washington. "When they walk out of the middle school, they are going to have the job training and skill sets where they could walk right into one of those shops and have an understanding of how everything works," he said.