UPTON – Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School (BVT) has received a STEM grant from the Toshiba America Foundation (TAF). The school has used the supplemental funds to purchase new MakerBot Replicator+ 3D printers and accessories for its Engineering & Robotics program.

With increased access to the most popular 3D printers in education, students can complete a wider variety of projects that foster a greater understanding of the Engineering Design Process. For example, freshmen used the printers to reverse engineer a wooden toy truck, and sophomores designed race cars powered by CO2. In the process, students advance their creative thinking skills and become familiar with the engineering design process, from printing models to testing designs with their peers.

“Science, technology, engineering and mathematics occupations play a key role in the sustained growth and stability of the U.S. economy. STEM education creates critical thinkers, increases science literacy, and enables the next generation of innovators,” said TAF President John Anderson. “This grant makes the STEM classroom more exciting for teachers and students.”

Sara Lewis of Bellingham, a sophomore in the Engineering & Robotics program at BVT, recently completed the CO2 car project. “The creation of this car presented countless challenges, and at some points, I felt as though my design was too difficult to complete. But in the end, I made small changes to the design and created the car that I wanted,” said Lewis. “The skills and knowledge learned in this project will surely be used again and will only help me grow as a student.”

“Our students are inspired and excited to learn more about the endless design possibilities in our state-of-the-art engineering lab, complete with the latest 3D printers,” explained Engineering & Robotics instructor Brian Rhodes. “Increased access to innovative tools for hands-on experiments paired with inquiry-based approaches to our curriculum makes learning here exciting and fun while preparing our students for success in STEM-related careers.”