I got to speak at my high school in Altamont,

3D Printing
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I got to speak at my high school in Altamont, KS and help judge an entrepenuer contest. I toured all the shop classes and was so proud of those awesome teachers making a difference in that small town. My favorite quote from the marketing class teacher: “farmers are the original Makers!”

The machine shop class was facing shutdown and a teacher stepped up and begged to take it on. They grudgingly agreed to keep it open as a trial run. That semester he had one student. A couple years later and now he has 34 students!! Shop class is alive and well at LCHS! (See pics)

One pair of pair of students, two Dynamo young ladies, are trying to start a drone company to help farmers pinpoint problem areas in their fields and help increase the yield of their crops. I was so proud of those two. I’m going to see how I can help.

The highlight of my day was seeing my electronics teacher and his killer lab. We talked about Tesla, steam engines powered by the sun, how he teamed up with the chemistry teacher to ignite thermite with a fresnel lens salvaged from an old projection tv, and saw one student’s Bitcoin mining rig repurposed from old equipment he found from his dad’s company just sitting in the basement.

Makers rule!

Get involved in your local school, people. Help these young makers discover and create. Our country - the world - needs them!

-Brook

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This is awesome - Good stuff!

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Pictures came out too tiny.

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Really wish my high school had these sort of classes! It’s always funding, liabilities, and lack of popularity that make them “unfeasible” :\

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@Ishaan_Gov IMHO, it is all (or most) about teacher’s drive. Those unwilling to go forward will cite all the obstacles that cannot be overcome, those willing to go further will get it done as soon as they are given a chance.

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awesome stuff and reminds me of how different the times are. I took an automotive shop class as a freshman, and we had to disassemble and rebuild engines. It all seems so distant compared to the classes you now see.

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needs more jpeg.

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What’s up w the pics! Yeah, they suck. Bummer. I guess I could repost.

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Shop class is the hidden gem and heavily overshadowed by much of the other subject matters. :frowning: Loved shop class. Great way to expose young minds to how things work and how to make things themselves.