New makerspaces at both Unit 5 high schools will provide more opportunity for students to get hands-on technology experience.
Students and staff at Normal West High School showcased their new equipment on Friday. It included equipment for student use of laser engravers and cutters, heat presses and sublimation, large-format printing and laminating and 3D printing, and additive manufacturing.
The Unit 5 Educational Foundation donated more than $50,000 to fund the makerspaces at West and Normal Community High School.
“The makerspace has been a wonderful start to my freshman year,” said Avery Mead, who has begun using the tools available as part of his introduction to tech class.
Mead said he did not expect to be doing what he is in the class so quickly.
“The amount of importance that this has put on this school year for me is crazy,” said Mead. “I didn't think I would actually be able to explore my love for tech like this.”
All machinery is in the makerspace room at Normal West. Everything is operational, but work on systems integration is ongoing.
“Before, I think they had some older equipment that was needing some repairs, and over time things start to break down,” said technology teacher Brock Keller, whose classroom is connected to the makerspace. “Having this new equipment obviously gives us a fresh look at what we can do, especially brand new equipment.”
Students in the class already have begun working on creating things that can make an impact on others in the school. Keller and a student used a CO2 laser engraver to create a new set of rulers.
“Zero shipping and handling, zero effects on climate change, and it's sourced right here and it's immediate for the class to use,” said Keller. “So, we can make professional-grade machinery or equipment and graphics as well to be available for same-day usage.”
Senior Eva Bankston was using the laser engraver to design banners for the new girls flag football team, which she plays on.
“I've just been messing around with using this new tool and just seeing what is possible with it,” said Bankston, who plans to study computer science at Illinois Wesleyan University after graduating.
“Illinois Wesleyan has similar machines there at their college,” said Bankston. “So being able to already know how to use some of those, I'm excited to take this knowledge with me into college.”
Unit 5 Educational Foundation President Jeff Mavros said the foundation intends to spend more than $70,000 to support Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics [STEAM] opportunities in Unit 5 schools in the next year.
In total, the foundation has donated more than $200,000 to the school district.
“To see the equipment, you know, in real life where you can see it and touch it and watch students use it is so cool for us,” said Mavros. “You believe in the mission, but to see it come to fruition is incredible.”
