SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) - Thanks to an alumni family, Sacred Heart-Griffin High School (SHG) has a new engineering lab. The Dayton Family Engineering Lab is a space designed specifically for engineering, so students can maximize learning potential.Â
Students have access to new computers, designed to hold all of the programs they need. They also have their own set of 3D printers.Â
"Last year, it felt like my computer never worked, and the 3D printer we had before it took forever to print," said Kaden Gholsen. "Now we have four printers, and when we leave from one class, everything is printed by the time we get back."Â
The students work on engineering projects across several disciplines. They've built airfoils, tower designed with straws and popsicle sticks, bridges and many others. Many of the students in the advanced class say all the work they have done has made it clear that they want to pursue engineering degrees in college.Â
"The more you can help a kid get an understanding of this is what this job is, this is what it looks like, just helps them make informed decisions about what their professional pathway is going to be," said Dug Martin, Math teacher at SHG. "It gives them an idea of what that job might look like."Â
With the addition of new computers, the students are able to use professional-level software. It helps them get engaged in their work and take on new challenges as they learn more.Â
"All of the technology that we've used in this class is going to help us in college," said Gavin Hayes, a senior at SHG. "We talked to some engineers and they said that the stuff we're using, like AutoCAD and Fusion and everything else, they use in college and some in their professional careers. So I think all the technology we use in that space is very beneficial."Â
Students in the advanced engineering class get the chance to figure out what they want their final projects to look like, based on the areas of engineering they have found the most exciting.Â
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