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16 ELECTRONIC EDITION: WWW.MANUFACTURINGTODAYWI.COM

Prescott’s R5 Manufacturing Equips Students with Tools for Life

generate. Scholarships are also available,
awarded according to projects completed.
Marketing team members Makaria
Haas and Talli Roth have collaborated with
the student group to design R5’s final logo
and branding, while also building social
media accounts and print materials to
promote its services. “This is the perfect
opportunity to gain real-world experience
in this career area and discover if it’s a field
I want to pursue,” Haas said.
Some of R5’s most notable projects
include SWAT breaching doors, custom
accessories for the milling program, and
storage solutions across the school. “These
custom projects have challenged students
to problem-solve and think critically. The Prescott team plans to host an
Whether they pursue trades, business, or open house to showcase R5’s services and
higher education, they leave here ready to welcomes inquiries from other schools
succeed.” noted PHS Tech Ed instructor interested in developing similar initiatives.
Logan Figueroa. “We believe the R5 model can benefit any
Revenue from this year will also be district ready to give students real-world
reinvested into the program, including the learning opportunities and support their
construction of a 40-by-60-foot machine communities,” Schmidt shared.
Prescott School District in lumber expenses while adding $7,000 in shed. The new facility will not only improve
After five years of developing its inno- profit.” Students now pay 50% of what they storage and workflow for the mill but will
vative curriculum, Prescott High School’s used to for a woods-based class. A goal is to also serve as a multipurpose space for stu-
technical education department is launch- reduce overall Tech Ed spending, increase dents, teachers, athletics, and community www.prescott.k12.wi.us
ing R5 Manufacturing — a student-led, educational opportunities, and have stu- programs.
student-operated program that applies the dents understand the importance of paying
skills and knowledge gained in Tech Ed it forward.
courses to serve the greater community. R5 R5 students manage every stage of
will function much like a professional busi- the business process. After securing jobs
ness, with students taking on roles across or projects through in-person meetings or
multiple departments, from woods and marketing outreach, they return to the class-
metals to Fab Lab design, marketing, and room or labs to design blueprints, develop
office management. cost and time estimates, and then build the
The entrepreneurial venture grew out product—ensuring it meets the customer’s
of Fab Lab students’ early success pro- expectations.
ducing and selling $900 worth The 11-member student team
of metal coasters, followed has branded the company, Technology and Engineering Educators,
by more than $4,000 created a business philos-
in cutting boards. ophy, and already taken Our core presenters at the conference
By the third year, on nearly 90 projects continue to be classroom practitioners.
a Manufacturing for the school district Please consider “giving something back”
Enterprise course and community, by sharing your ideas, activities, pro-
was introduced, with many more grams and becoming a sectional presenter
allowing students in the pipeline. at the event.
to design, operate, Their work ranges Last year the conference presenter
and close a busi- from simple laser- slots filled quickly, so I would encourage
ness each school engraved glassware you to submit your presentation informa-
year. Their work to full-scale facil- tion as soon as you are able.
produced fire pits ity redesigns that An online presenter submission
and C-tables, generat- improve efficiency. form is provided at the following link:
ing $4,600. In its fourth Junior Collin Kos- https://www.wtea-wis.org/wordpress/be-
year, the program reached malski, a member of the a-presenter
a turning point when the school R5 team who has taken Tech If you have any questions, please
invested in a $12,000 sawmill, a stu- Ed classes since his freshman year, feel free to contact me. See https://www.
dent-built kiln, and other equipment—paid shared: “I’ve really enjoyed woodworking The Wisconsin Technology Educa- wtea-wis.org/wordpress/program-coordi-
off in just eight weeks. and will seek projects in that area. I like tion Association will be celebrating our nator
“Our investment in the sawmill last that I’ve learned skills I can use throughout 57th Annual Spring Convention which Thank you for your time
year was a turning point in the program,” my lifetime.” He added that he is especially will run March 11–13, 2026. The theme and consideration,
explained technology education instruc- excited about R5’s profit-sharing model. for 2026 is “Innovation in Action.” We Steve Johnston, WTEA Program
tor Kyle Schmidt, who drew on his own Like employees in a professional will again be at Chula Vista Resort in Coordinator
background in logging to design this cost- business, R5 students will receive a profit- Wisconsin Dells.
saving, revenue-generating initiative. “By sharing check once a trimester, based on
milling donated trees, we’ve saved $15,000 their productivity and the income they help