It’s no secret that it’s a financially difficult time for school districts in the state of Nebraska.
With the state facing a $900 million deficit, it’s hard enough as it is for public schools to receive adequate funding, and any luxury expenses are out of the question.
With that being said, though, local private and business partners are helping the Fremont Public School District get ahead in terms of the technology that it offers to students.
For the second straight year, the FPS District was the recipient of a substantial $7,500 Big Red Keno grant through the organization’s Science & Math Program. In February, Big Red Keno representatives announced through a released statement that it was awarding eight youth-serving organizations and public schools in and around the Omaha area a grand total of $60,000.
In 2016, Fremont Middle School was the recipient of the grant, installing six 3-D printers – allowing students to create three-dimensional objects – in FMS’s industrial technology lab. Big Red Keno awarded FHS the same grant.
Fremont Public Schools’ Superintendent Mark Shepard said during a Friday morning demonstrational gathering inside of the high school that without its partnership with Big Red Keno, the district wouldn’t have the necessary resources to provide its students with this technology.
“Buying six 3-D printers in these current financial times would not be something that would fit within our budget,” Shepard said. “And probably not this year, probably not next year and maybe not even the third year out. Without these partnerships – public and private – we would not have this opportunity. It really just promotes all of the really great things that happen every day at our schools.”
Utilizing 3-D printers helps students learn the ins and outs of fine-tuned measuring. When creating an object, if one wrong measurement is inserted into the computer that controls the printer the prototype won’t look correct.
In addition, using the programming associated with the 3-D printers requires students to critically think and be engaged in their work. It just so happens that it’s pretty fun for them, too.
Bill Harvey, Big Red Kenos general counsel, said his organization enjoys providing students with mind-stimulating technology.
“We think it’s great to be able to give kids the opportunity to see this kind of leading-edge technology,” Harvey said. “They don’t realize it now, but when they get older this is going to give them a real advantage just in terms of how they think. This kind of machinery can really just help you think in a different way about stuff.”
[“Source-fremonttribune”]
