Knoch manufacturing day shows students engineering options
JEFFERSON TWP — In the brand new Brayman Innovation Center, a highlight of Knoch School District’s newly renovated high school, students were shown something different from the daily dose of mathematics and reading.
When fifth grade students visited the high school Tuesday, Nov. 25, for Knoch manufacturing day, they got to learn about fields like engineering, graphic design and robotics.
“If they want to keep pursuing something here, we hope to keep fostering that for the community. This is really important stuff,” said Paul Hoffman, a robotics and wood shop teacher at the high school.
Knoch manufacturing day had a focus on engineering and design, with students learning about the tools, machines and other equipment that high school students get to use at the innovation center. This included 3D printers, laser engravers, large-format printers and industrial equipment.
The purpose of this, the district said, is to “show students the opportunities they will have moving forward,” and how manufacturing has a big role in Butler County.
High school students showed the Knoch fifth graders how to use the 3D printers and a laser machine to engrave and create key chains and stickers with a Knoch logo on them. Teachers showed off a robotic arm that can pick up and organize objects while taking directions from a remote control. And they played with a miniature car designed in the computer lab and built out of material from the 3D printer.
“It’s important that they’re able to see what we offer at the school and it can help build manufacturing for our students,” Zach Smith, a technology education teachers, said. “A lot of this was built through donations and partnerships with manufacturing companies and hopefully a lot of the students from the high school will graduate and work with those local manufacturers. We’re just trying to show the fifth graders this is something they could look forward to.”
Knoch Intermediate Elementary School students got to learn about other skills and careers beyond manufacturing. They learned about food safety and made hot chocolate with the family and consumer science class, while also seeing the studio used by Knoch News, the morning announcements crew, and how the cameras, teleprompters and green screens work.
Teacher’s acknowledged the role manufacturing has in Butler County and the importance of students knowing about opportunities that exist in the work force.
Some of Butler County’s biggest employers include Westinghouse Electric, Penn United Technologies, Armstrong Utilities and others that have thousands of manufacturing jobs.
“It’s great to have people know all of the opportunities that they’re provided so that way they can figure out what they want to do, what they’re good at and what they may enjoy to do down the road,” Sam Gilligan, a senior at Knoch High School, said.
