Toward the end of the first semester, as part of Middle School Science instructor John Milam’s engineering class, students, primarily seniors, began to devote themselves to a go-kart project that would engulf their attention for months to come.
According to Makerspace Director Stewart Mayer, who has been heavily involved in the project, it was a way for the boys to take their Comptuder-Aided Design (CAD) skills and turn them into something physically tangible.
Mayer’s background with engineering extends to his childhood. His continual enthusiasm has allowed him and his students to push boundaries in their work.
“I’ve always loved engineering, from the time I was a tiny little kid playing with Legos until now, where I’m a grown man playing with Legos,” Mayer said. “I’ve always enjoyed engineering and I’ve always loved hands-on projects.”
Mayer had an undeniable passion for proejcts and in middle school he even built a hovercraft the size of a car. Unfortunately, he felt as though those gifts and more importantly the passion he had for engineering were not properly nurtured in high school.
“For me the educational system kind of let me down,” Mayer said. “Through high school and college, there were almost no opportunities that let me have fun with engineering, and it kind of hurt me at my core quite honestly.”
That hurt would serve as the foundation for his path in education and at the school, where he has managed to successfully bring the joy of engineering to the students. This project exemplifies that, as it was initially meant to be a small thing at the end of a one-semester course under Milam, but blossomed into something much greater.
“After the first semester (Milam’s) class was over, but the vast majority of the students are continuing on in Rummel’s class, who was kind enough to let the project continue,” Mayer said.
Science instructor Doug Rummel has guided many of the students, providing instruction and direction in the Makerspace while they continue their projects.
While Mayer hopes to have the project wrap up soon, there is still beauty to be found in its length. It is a testament to the passion of the students and their commitment to their work, as well as the willingness of the faculty to adapt to their students’ passions.
This project in particular serves as a synthesis of many of the skills students have learned throughout their time in the robotics program, such as welding and 3D printing. It’s a complex and lengthy process which has demanded concentration and excellence from those working on it. But for those who truly love engineering, both the process and the final product are fun beyond comparison.
