Leading the Way to a Better Education
By Katie Anderson
Pequot Lakes Echo
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Pequot Lakes Schools, its students and area businesses are working together to help lead the way.
Two years ago, the middle and high schools decided to make a change to the curriculum. This change involved the Project Lead the Way and the Gateway to Technology programs.
"The focus of these programs is to implement a curriculum that is focused on science, technology, engineering and math. It helps teach students to think in different ways and overall prepare them for a career in engineering in the real world," said high school principal John McDonald.
In the first year of implementation, the middle school offered three classes that will be taken by almost all students. Magic of Electrons is for sixth-graders; Design and Modeling is for seventh-graders; and Automation and Robotics is for eighth-graders.
The 2009-10 school year saw the beginning of Project Lead the Way in the high school's curriculum.
The first course, Introduction to Engineering Design, was introduced to all students. In this course students are taught how to use three-dimensional modeling software to improve existing products as well as to invent new ones.
This is where exciting collaborative work is being done with area businesses.
One of the program's requirements is that local businesses partner with the school in different ways. Business participation has included field trips, including to Pequot Tool and Manufacturing in Jenkins, which sparked an idea.
"We wanted to do more with the students, so we came up with an idea. The students would make a design, and we would help them along the way and even, if they were good enough, get them printed," said Karlo Goerges, CEO of Pequot Tool and Manufacturing.
Students in the class divided into two groups and brainstormed a project, created a three-dimensional model and got the prototypes made at Precision Tool in Brainerd.
And through it all, Pequot Tool and Manufacturing engineer Chad Shogren worked with the students to help guide them and give advice.
"I volunteered to work with the kids. Getting more people interested in engineering is an issue that is very near and dear to my heart. Not lots of people are going into this field anymore," Shogren said.
The project the students chose included things they were interested in actually using. One group developed a divot remover and pencil holder to use when golfing, and the other group created an mp3 holder that fits in the vents of a car.
Shogren worked closely with both groups, frequently e-mailing back and forth about the designs as they progressed and visiting the class to give hands-on advice as well.
The students are currently working on revisions to their projects after seeing some of the problems with their original designs; but overall, the students are doing an excellent job, Shogren said.
"These students are very talented. I would actually love to have a couple of these kids working with me," Shogren said with a laugh.
The great job that the school district and area businesses are doing by working together has not gone unnoticed by the Project Lead the Way program.
Recently, Pequot Lakes applied to the program to be considered a certified school of engineering. After a rigorous auditing process of the program, the school received certification after only one year of the program being implemented in the high school.
Project Lead the Way program director Jim Mecklenburg conducted the audit on the Pequot Lakes Project Lead the Way program, and he was very impressed.
"Only about one in 15 schools receives certification their first year, because schools are usually missing a few pieces of criteria. That this school has received certification after only one year is notable, and it really shows their commitment to the program and to their students," Mecklenburg said.
Now that the school is certified, at the end of the year students will be able to take an exam and, if they pass it, will receive college credit recognized by the University of Minnesota.
But the most important thing for businesses and administration is that the students are having fun learning.
"Getting the kids excited to want to do this type of class is an amazing thing. There is a great value with what these kids are doing, and we can't wait to be even more involved with this program in the future," Goerges said.
CUTLINES
Chris Pothof and Joe Kepner with Chad.JPG
Pequot Lakes junior Chris Pothof, left, along with fellow student Joe Kepner talked about potential design changes in their mp3 holder that sticks right into a car vent with Pequot Lakes Tool and Manufacturing's Chad Shogren.
Photo by Katie Anderson
Nick Olmschied and Chad Shogren.JPG
Pequot Lakes Tool and Manufacturing engineer Chad Shogren talked with Nick Olmschied about his group project to design and create a divot remover and pencil holder in Introduction to Engineering Design.
Photo by Katie Anderson
Posted by: upnorthinpl at May. 5, 2010 at 3:00:30 pm
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