Sweat drips down the faces of students as they work diligently to complete their engineering projects with the sounds of bustling machines and revving 3d printers floats through the air.  As Piedmont students continue to develop their learning skills and become better at adapting to new situations they are still missing something very important.  They need an aspect of physical learning that they can learn from and the new engineering lab is at the forefront for expanding students’ opportunities to learn.  It gives them the chance to experience state-of-the-art equipment and get ideas to design something new that hasn’t been created yet. 

The engineering lab was primarily funded by the Piedmont Makers, a group dedicated to STEM education.  So far they have raised around 185,000 dollars towards the new lab with a pledge of 420,000 dollars in total donations. The Makers program was founded in 2014 and has worked with PUSD to create an annual maker fair and the STEM Expo according to the July 7th board meeting. They have also managed the K-12 Youth Robotics League containing more than thirty teams.  Members of the science department were initially frustrated because they were left out of the planning of the equipment and the fundraising discussion even though they were expected to utilize the lab last summer according to the board meeting last summer. Although there was early frustration from the science department because of their lack of consultation in the process it has since simmered down.  Mr.Littlefield was able to lobby back and forth between the groups by having them all meet together for a few meetings.  

“Mr. Littlefield was able to just like, let’s get all our heads together and everybody came away feeling like they were getting more out of the deal,” said computer teacher Flint Christensen.  At one point, members of the science department were competing with each other going to the board to ask them to accept the donation.  I believe the lab is a step in the right direction for the school as long as support from parents and teachers remains strong as long as the faculty stays on board and enough money is raised the future for the new lab is very bright.

Not only does the new engineering lab provide students with new learning opportunities but it can also better prepare students for college.  Engineering was the 6th most popular major during the 2018-19 college school year and has solid growth projections according to College Factual.  This can help kids launch their college education and prepare them for their future careers.  According to the New York Times, computer science and engineering top all the pay rankings and  STEAM is a major piece of the puzzle for college success with it being the field that has seen the biggest growth increase over the past few years.  Not only is it helping students with finding a career but it’s helping them find a career that is also financially stable.

I believe that because all of the money for the new engineering building comes from outside funding that there is no reason not to have the building itself.  As long as the school is able to sustain the lab and keep it within the budget then the lab should be utilized to the full extent.  It will provide students with the opportunity to be creative with design and work towards making a tangible object that can serve a greater purpose. Although I have only experienced doing Makers through middle school I always saw the value that the program provided students.  I understood that it was setting us up for the future and teaching us along the way how we could push the limits of innovation and accomplish our goals.  This Engineering Lab is the next big step in that direction where everyone has the opportunity to expand their horizons and develop valuable new skills.