JWP receives grant for 3-D printing class

Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton High School received a grant for $1,000 for its 3-D printing class during the Waseca Area Foundation’s annual awards program November 9, 2022.  

High School science teacher Eric Kehoe, who accepted the award, said that enough students expressed interest in 3-D printing after the school purchased a 9-year-old printer, a year ago, that they dedicated a whole class to it. Students are already asking about an upper-level class. The course teaches kids how to use the printer and at the end, students earn a certificate allowing them to use the school’s 3-D printer without supervision. Kehoe boasted that he is so impressed with the students’ progress  that he already believes one of them can run the machine without him. Going forward, there will be careers in this field, according to Kehoe, so this class provides an opportunity learners might not have outside of school. Also part of the class was research into purchase prices for personal 3-D printers. As the equipment becomes more affordable, students will have the chance to purchase and use them outside of a school setting. Funds from this grant will be used to purchase a 3-D scanner, a device used in conjunction with the printer. As their class, school, and students become more accustomed to the printer, Kehoe plans to work with community education to offer courses, as well as working with elementary kids for design ideas.