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22 ELECTRONIC EDITION: WWW.MANUFACTURINGTODAYWI.COM

Forest Park Middle School named WTEA’s Middle School

Program of Year! This award provides recognition to a *middle (or junior high) school which delivers an outstanding program that provides
students with an introduction to the areas and concepts of technology and engineering. — WTEA

are exposed to a number of different plastic
processes including injection molding, thermo
forming, vacuum forming, blow molding and
of course 3D printing. We would like to thank
the Society of Plastics Engineers for their
support!

Can’t Wait to Take it Home Test
When choosing projects for each of the
classes we try to make sure the projects are
ones which the students like and will be suc-
cessful at. Projects must pass what we call
the “Can’t wait to take it home test” when the
students finish them. We try to keep the stu-
dents excited and motivated throughout the
progression of our classes. One way to do this
is to make sure students have a customization
option for all their projects. We are constantly
amazed at the ideas and designs the students
come up with!
Students start taking Tech Ed in sixth If you’re interested in learning more
grade not knowing what to expect. For most about what we do, our complete curriculum
students it quickly becomes their favorite class. including lessons, templates, reviews, rubrics,
Craig Adams & Doug Johnson where they design a cottage, and finally a vinyl One of our favorite student quotes which we etc. can be found at: https://tinyurl.com/fpm-
Forest Park Middle School, Franklin Public heat transfer T-shirt design. In the manufac- hear often is: “Tech Ed is the only reason steched2026
Schools turing room students make a thermoformed I come to school!” In a recent conversation *This article was originally published in
Forest Park Middle School is a sixth - acrylic napkin holder and a light up picture with an eighth-grade girl, she mentioned how the Spring, 2026 issue of Interface
eighth grade middle school with an enrollment frame where they learn how to solder a series when she started Tech Ed in sixth-grade she
of about 1100 students in Franklin, Wisconsin. LED circuit. They are also introduced to thought it was going to be a “dumb” class but
The Tech Ed department consists of two teach- vacuum forming and blow molding. she quickly discovered how much she liked it
ers, Craig Adams and Doug Johnson. We are Eighth grade students are offered two and then took every elective class we offered. www.franklin.k12.wi.us
very fortunate to have a new facility which elective classes, “Manufacturing and Design” Now she has signed up for three freshman Tech
was completed in 2019. The facility consists and “Engineering in Action”. About 70 percent Ed classes next year at the high school!
of three classrooms including a manufacturing of the eighth graders participate in these classes
area, an engineering area, and a robotics lab. and are challenged to take things to the next
level. Students who choose the Manufacturing
6th, 7th, 8th Grade Courses class make a custom designed acrylic clock, WTEA Educator of the Year
There are two semester long classes that forged screwdriver, custom designed CNC
meet every other day for each grade level. plasma cut grill spatula, custom keepsake box Continued from Page 21
Both teachers are teaching at the same time, and a wood pen set. In the Engineering class,
one in the engineering room and the other in students work on a custom designed 3D printed saw. From designing a part in CAD to success- all of those four parts—you have found your
the manufacturing room. Classes spend one LED glow phone/airpod holder, custom model fully cutting it out on the CNC plasma cutter, purpose. I have found my purpose—helping
quarter in each room. At the end of first and rocket, custom CO2 car and also a couple students are engaged and working with their kids better themselves, teaching them skills,
third quarters, classes are “flipped” to the other robotics and mechanisms activities. brain and body, constantly problem solving. believing in them, and watching them go out
room. Many of my classes (Woods into the world and make a difference.
In sixth grade all students take an intro- Integrating Engineering & 2-Fundamentals of Woodworking, Construc- I am so thankful to my family, my three
ductory “Engineering and Technology” Manufacturing tion-Fundamentals of Construction, Welding awesome children and my wife, Rachel.
course. During the engineering half of the Our goal in the Tech Ed department is to 1-Oxy Fuel Cutting) are transcripted with our Rachel is the best teacher I know. She brings
class, students do an exciting “Egg Crash Car” provide students with many hands-on experi- local Technical College (Western Technical high energy, high standards, and high effort.
engineering activity. They are also introduced ences that give them technological awareness College). I communicate with local industry They say, “Iron sharpens iron” —I am a better
to 3D modeling software and 3D printing. and understanding, promote good craftsman- experts on a regular basis to stay current on teacher because of her. I’ve told people in the
Finally, students design and make the “Puzzle ship and pride, prepare them for high school what they are looking for in new employees past that I teach next to my wife, and they say,
Cube”. On the manufacturing side they use and introduce career opportunities. All of our and what technology should be implemented. “How can you teach next to your wife?” After
mostly hand tools and learn basic skills while courses are hands-on, project-based and are My goal is to make sure my content and cur- 22 years, I don’t know how I could not teach
making a wood key holder, wood photo board designed with a strong engineering component riculum is current and up to date with local next to her. She makes me a better teacher
and a tic tac toe game. Students are also intro- integrated with a manufacturing component. industry standards and technologies used in the A wise person (my wife) once told me,
duced to injection molding. We believe it’s important for the students to workforce. “Teaching is a verb. Teaching is action, teach-
In seventh grade, students have the oppor- understand the close relationship between the My Acceptance Speech Says It Best ing is movement, teaching is presence. Let’s
tunity to take a follow-up elective Engineering two. Our projects are also designed to give God is Good! I am thankful and honored Teach ’em Up!
and Technology class. Over 90 percent of students exposure to a variety of materials to receive this award. I have a poster in my
students take this class. In the engineering including woods, metals and plastics. We feel classroom that talks about careers and it is
classroom students complete an advanced plastics is an area that is often overlooked in broken down into four parts: The World Needs
3D modeling activity where they design a schools but yet is extremely important since it IT, You Get Paid for It, You Are Great At It, and newlisbon.k12.wi.us
3D printed key chain, an architecture activity is a very large industry in Wisconsin. Students You Love It. If you can find a career that hits