VIDEO: Students Learn Skills, Tackle Projects in Engineering/Technology Classes

Standing in the field by the tennis courts at Clarence High School, students in Engineering Design and Development had a challenge for themselves: Get their kites, made with wood skewers, up in the air and flying. For their ideas to take flight, students had to consider what material they would use for the kite’s sail, and how they would fasten the skewers to handle the elements.

“You’re working with your idea, and if it fails it fails,” said senior Harmon Whipple. “Then you have to start the work all over again. Every improvement matters.” 

The task was an opportunity for students to think independently as they tackled the challenge.

“It’s all new to them,” said technology teacher Thomas Maroney. “You’re solving multiple problems at once.”

Running out the string for his kite, Harmon began to run toward the wind, and his kite began to rise.

The class is one of many offered at the high school in the school’s Engineering/Technology Department, which combines hands-on learning with STEM challenges through its coursework. Classes are divided into two routes: Semester-long courses working with robotics and materials like wood and metals, and year-long Project Lead the Way courses. The Project Lead the Way courses, built on the national organization’s curriculum, can create opportunities for students to obtain college credits through Rochester Institute of Technology and receive special recognition at graduation. 

The students’ work comes as the need for workers with engineering and technology skills is growing. 

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there were nearly 10 million workers in STEM occupations and this total is projected to grow by almost 11 percent by 2031, over two times faster than the total for all occupations. These professions also have better pay potential than their non-STEM counterparts, the department said.  An August 2021 report by the National Science Foundation found that the STEM workforce represented about a quarter of the total U.S. workforce in 2019, and reflected workers with and without bachelor’s degrees. 

“The jobs of tomorrow are constantly changing,” said technology teacher Jason Urbanek. “What we're preparing our students for here are jobs in industries, careers that are existing and emerging.”

More than solving current classroom problems, students are challenged to create thought processes that can be applied to a wide range of situations. 

“It's not just one situation, you're learning the process to apply for a number of different situations, whether that's a current problem you're trying to solve now or something that is unsolved yet that we need to work through and figure out,” said technology teacher Zachary Meal. 

It also means tackling projects with their hands. In Production Systems in Wood 2 class, students were hard at work building Adirondack chairs. The finished products will be shared during a celebration with students’ families.

“They have a product they can be proud of forever, and it leads them to more creative projects,” said teacher Sean Murray. He also noted that students building skills with tools can pay dividends when it comes to tackling projects like home repairs.   

Noah Holden, a senior, said he enjoyed the freedom that came with working on wood projects. 

“It helped me express my creativity through my artwork and my projects,” he said.

For students like junior Olivia Collins, her engineering/technology classes are something that she looks forward to during her day, calling them a “fresh breath of air” from her other classes. 

“It made me realize that I like hands-on things where I’m always working and moving, and I want to be in a career where I’m engaged,” Olivia said.

To watch a video about the classes, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/1sAupvEECdywGk7W88BuOSbcRZIBJH5Ex/view?usp=sharing. More information about Clarence High School’s Engineering/Technology program can be found at https://www.clarenceschools.org/Page/2191.