Washington Island School gets a $25,000 grant to boost its technical education program

The grant allows the school to expand its laser cutting and engraving offerings and add desktop computers to learn manufacturing skills

Green Bay Press-Gazette

Eighth-grade students in Washington Island's technical education class show off the first laser engraving project they made in the school's existing fabrication laboratory, or "fab lab." The school district recently received a $25,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to expand its fab lab.

WASHINGTON ISLAND — Students in the Washington Island School District soon will have more opportunities to design and make something cool in class while also possibly taking steps toward a career.

That's because the school was awarded a $25,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to put toward a "fab lab" that is meant to teach science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) skills that could help prepare students for careers that use advanced technologies.

A "fab lab," short for fabrication laboratory, is a high-tech workshop equipped with computer-controlled manufacturing components such as 3-D printers, laser engravers, computer numerical control (CNC) routers and plasma cutters. All of those tools are commonly used today, and companies involved in manufacturing, fabrication and similar work in Door County and elsewhere have said there's a growing need for employees skilled with those tools.

"They're really hoping to boost fabrication education, digital fabrication education, laser cutting, 3-D printing, and to get that into the schools (through the grants)," technical education teacher Matt Sullivan said.

"We're preparing our students for future careers," principal and curriculum director Tim Verboomen said about the fab lab. "And that's really exciting."

Jaxin sets up a laser engraver in the Washington Island School District's existing fabrication laboratory, or "fab lab." The district recently received a $25,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to expand its fab lab.

This is the second fab lab grant Washington Island has received from the state, following one in 2020 that allowed the school to set up the lab currently in use. These WEDC grants are matching grants, with the school districts receiving them required to match at least half of the award. Sue Cornell, the school's director of business services, said the school is matching half of its $25,000 grant, so it will have $37,500 to use on the new lab equipment.

Sullivan said the grant allows the school to build on the capabilities of its existing fab lab, which offers education in CNC work, vinyl cutting, laser engraving and 3-D printing. He said he's very excited to have the new equipment coming to his classroom.

"With this grant, we'll be able to expand our laser capabilities with cutting and engraving," Sullivan said. "It also will allow us to get desktop computers to help with our digital capabilities. With the desktop computers and another laser engraver, we'll be able to quadruple our offerings. The students will really get the full experience and learn how it can inspire a future career."

The Island's tech ed courses are open to grades six through 12. All students in grades six to eight are required to take them, and high schoolers must earn at least two full credits from the fab labs, with more available as electives. Verboomen said about one-third of the 27 students in those grades take elective fab lab courses.

Washington Island students Tug, Kinsey and Marley work on a soldering project in the school district's existing fabrication laboratory, or "fab lab." The district recently received a $25,000 grant from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to expand its fab lab.

Also, the school district offered a nine-week course taught by Sullivan last year to those in the community who wanted to learn some advanced fabrication skills, which Cornell said was "pretty well-received."

"We had community members who were very excited to use the laser and do the cutting and engraving," Sullivan said.

Verboomen said the district already has the ball rolling to bring in the new equipment, and he expects it'll be in place for the start of the next school year.

The state announced the grant awards in a Tuesday news release. All told, 18 school districts across the state received a total of $493,000 for fab labs, with individual district awards ranging from $22,000 to $50,000. According to the news release, the recipients will invest a total of more than $750,000 in STEAM education in their fab labs when the matching funds are added. Since the program’s inception in 2016, WEDC has awarded 211 grants totaling more than $5 million to 125 school districts in Wisconsin.

Contact Christopher Clough at 920-562-8900 or cclough@doorcountyadvocate.com.

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