Two Northeast Wisconsin school districts are among 20 selected to receive grant funds for development of fabrication labs.
Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation announced nearly $500,000 in grants to 20 Wisconsin school districts including $20,000 for Weyauwega-Fremont School District and $25,000 for the Tri-County Area School District.
A fabrication laboratory, or Fab Lab, is a high-technology workshop equipped with computer-controlled manufacturing components such as 3D printers, laser engravers, computer numerical control routers, and plasma cutters. Through the Fab Lab Grant Program, WEDC is supporting the purchase of fab lab equipment for instructional and educational purposes for K-12 students across the state.
“WEDC has invested over $5.5 million over the past ten years to provide 133 schools across the state with the equipment necessary to help students learn high-demand skills, including technology, manufacturing, and engineering,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “Fab Labs benefit not only the students themselves with important technology and career skills, but they also benefit Wisconsin employers, who will be able to find workers with the right skills to allow their companies to grow and thrive.”
Individual school districts were eligible for grants of up to $25,000, and consortiums of two or more districts were eligible for up to $50,000. The program requires matching funds from each district.
WEDC received 29 total applications for Fab Lab Grants. The grants were awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with applications evaluated based on readiness and long-range planning, curriculum, business and community partnerships, financial need, and previous awards.
For more information on the state’s Fab Labs, including resources for teachers, visit wedc.org/fablabs.
