By Laura Fitzgerald
Just before Thanksgiving break, students were hard at work in Memphis High School’s Project-Based Learning (PBL) Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Career Lab. A cluster of students peered into a laser engraving machine to check the progress of a holiday decoration. Other students worked at computers alongside printing machines.
One student held up a custom-printed t-shirt that read “Rebooting my compost realm . . . Hold on one moment,” a nod to the class composting project.
The class offered a glimpse into how the STEM lab sets students up for success through hands-on, project-based learning. This teaching style was especially beneficial for the lab’s inaugural 2023-24 cohort, which focused on non-traditional learners who were lacking credits needed to graduate.
That first class included approximately 24 then-sophomores, juniors, and seniors. All five seniors graduated, contributing to a 100% graduation rate for the class of 2024.
“What I heard a lot from students is, ‘Why am I going to go home and do homework for three hours when I can work on my business or work on something that interests me and actually earn money doing it?’” said Memphis Community Schools Superintendent Sara Dobbelaer. “So, there was the disconnect of the why? They knew the content, but it just wasn’t relevant to them. The STEM Lab provided the opportunity for them to demonstrate mastery of the concepts outside of the traditional educational setting.”
The STEM lab is the brainchild of Dobbelaer. In fall 2023, the project received grants totaling $40,000 from the Community Foundation of St. Clair County’s Youth Advisory Council (YAC), Women’s Initiative, and Grants Committee, as well as assistance from the Four County Community Foundation, L&L Products, and a Michigan 98c Learning Loss grant.
“YAC was made to give grants, create leaders, create future philanthropists, and, most importantly, help the youth in our community. Memphis’s STEM lab grant supported the creation of future philanthropists while helping the youth of our community reach their full potential,” said Memphis student and YAC member Drew Shy.
“The STEM Lab was an amazing avenue for students to broaden their education,” added YAC President Joshua Kriesch. “Our current YAC members and alumni who were able to take part in this granting process, could not be more proud of the opportunities we were able to create for the Memphis community!”
The lab includes five 3D printers, two computer numerical control (CNC) machines, one laser engraver, one vinyl cutter and one T-Shirt press.
Students learn how to operate the machines using a project-based learning model that exposes them to a wide variety of careers in manufacturing, business, engineering, skilled trades, and so much more. The lab also teaches students life skills – such as teamwork, problem-solving, critical thinking and creativity – which students will use in their other academics and in their education and careers after graduation.
“What can we do to impact students long-term? It’s not about getting a piece of paper, it’s about preparing them for the real world,” said Science Teacher and High School Project-Based Learning Facilitator Paula Danna. “We can support them, build confidence and give them valuable skills.”
STEM Lab Boosts 2024 Memphis Graduation Rate
The 2023-24 cohort of students received intensive instruction that was a departure from their previous experience in traditional, lecture-based classrooms.
“You’re offering student choice and their preferred style of learning, which increased participation and motivation,” said Memphis Jr./Sr. High School Principal Jesse Szatkowski.
Students created a business plan in an industry or topic that interested them and pitched it to eight local small business owners, “Shark Tank”-style.
Students also created a resume and sharpened their interview and presentation skills. Industry experts visited the class to teach students about supply chain, logistics, manufacturing, profitability, and other business concepts.
Students used the STEM lab to create materials for their businesses, such as flyers, business cards, T-Shirts, signs, engraved materials, or other manufactured items. Students also received intensive instruction in other subject areas to get them back on track to graduate.
Staff said students became more invested in their learning once they saw real-world results.
“We saw an increase in attendance, behavior and confidence in themselves,” Danna said.
The STEM lab not only put the cohort students on track to graduate, it also exposed them to opportunities for higher education and careers beyond high school.
“Change trajectories, that’s my goal, for every student. Because if you don’t at least graduate high school, your options are incredibly limited,” Dobbelaer said.
One graduate called Dobbelaer and his former teachers the summer following graduation to tell them he would attend college, an option he had never considered before.
“That phone call was one of the best calls a teacher could ever have,” Szatkowski said. “He said, ‘What you and Ms. Dobbelaer said, you were correct.’”
“He was so appreciative of us and his mom, who was helping put him through school. It was all the things you would want to hear,” Dobbelaer added.
Future for the STEM Lab Looks Bright
The STEM Lab now serves students in sixth through twelfth grade. All high school students can explore the lab through a science elective, which can be used to fulfill graduation requirements. Middle school students gain exposure to the lab through their general science courses.
Students who take the Explore Science course use the lab to complete several projects throughout class. This year, students tested soil and water quality from the Belle River, made compost bins, and built model bridges, Danna said.
In the future, staff hope to add more courses using the STEM lab so that students can take advanced courses over multiple years.
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