Teacher Boot Camp Participant Receives 3D Printer From IST
Launch the media gallery 1 playerMansfield, OH (February 7, 2024) – Over the summer, educators from districts in Crawford County, Morrow County and Richland County had the opportunity to participate in the first Teacher Business Boot Camps in the region. Participants gained first-hand experience with the rewarding careers available in manufacturing and the skills students need to obtain and retain these local positions. In addition, Integrated Systems Technologies (IST) in Richland County sponsored a free 3D printer for a Richland County Bootcamp Teacher participant who designed a lesson, unit or project that best exemplified the use of 3D printing in a manufacturing setting.
Gabe McCready, President of Operations at IST, expressed IST’s enthusiasm for the boot camp: “At IST we are constantly advocating for schools & teachers to get more involved with the manufacturers in their region. Seeing a program doing just that, especially right here in our community is so exciting. We want to help any way we can.”
Denise Benson, a mathematics teacher at Lexington Local Schools, won the 3D Printer from IST for her unit on “Math and Manufacturing,” created for her Applied Math class for seniors. After being out in local manufacturing plants, Denise observed the many applications for math. The unit starts with a discussion of how math is incorporated into manufacturing. The various lessons created include accuracy with measurements, precision with unit conversions, creating scale models and studying nets to develop a 3D model.
“I am honored to be the winner of the 3D Printer from Teacher Business Boot Camp. I firmly believe that after 32 years of teaching, there is still a lot for me to learn to better serve my students. I look forward to finding new and meaningful ways to encourage my Lexington High School students to become life-long learners and to embrace new technology,” Denise Benson.
Jeremy Secrist, Superintendent of Lexington Local Schools, praised Denise’s innovative approach to teaching and how it led her to win the 3D Printer at the Teacher Business Boot Camp: “I'm not surprised that Denise Benson not only participated but that she and her project won the 3D Printer. Denise is always looking for innovative ways to both challenge and engage her students. I also thank Integrated Systems Technologies for donating the printer to the Boot Camp and for setting up the printer in Denise's room. She is already looking for more ways to use it with her students, and I know she will put it to good use.”
Superintendent Secrist also thanked the Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center's Business Advisory Council and the Richland Area Chamber and Economic Development for organizing the Teacher Business Boot Camp: “This was an excellent opportunity for local teachers.”
If you are interested in registering for the 2024 Richland County Teacher Business Boot Camp, please email Amy Wood at wood.amy@moesc.net. The 2024 Richland County Boot Camp will focus on technology careers in Richland County and will be made possible through a partnership with the Richland Area Chamber and Economic Development and a Microsoft Tech Sparc grant.
Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center provides specialized academic and support services to 13 school districts and over 20,000 students in Crawford, Morrow and Richland Counties. Client districts receive services from curriculum, gifted and special education consultants, speech pathologists, psychologists, special education teachers, occupational therapists and physical therapists.