NEWS RELEASE

Fox Valley Technical College Receives $5,000 AT&T Donation to Support Fab Lab Summer Camp in Waupaca

Interactive Program Teaches High School Students About STEM Concepts by Designing and Building Electric Guitars

WAUPACA, Friday, May 6, 2016 – The Fox Valley Technical College (FVTC) Foundation received a $5,000 AT&T Innovation Award today to support the college’s Fab Lab summer camp for high school students at Waupaca High School this summer.

AT&T presents a $5,000 donation to support FVTC’s Fab Lab summer camp for high school students in Waupaca. Pictured L-R: State Senator Luther Olsen; State Rep. Kevin Petersen; Robyn Gruner of AT&T; Jonathan Wells, FVTC Fab Lab Program Coordinator; Mary Downs, FVTC Foundation Executive Director; Waupaca High School Principal Rob Becker; and Dale Walker, FVTC Business & Industry Services Director.

The AT&T donation will support this summer’s Fab Lab (Fabrication Laboratory) program. Fab Lab is an interactive camp that teaches high school students about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) concepts by designing and building electric guitars.

“Our Fab Lab program combines advanced manufacturing technology concepts with hands-on learning to bring students’ ideas to reality,” said Dale Walker, Director of Business & Industry Services at FVTC. “We are excited to receive this AT&T donation to support a Fab Lab summer camp at Waupaca High School.”

Students who enroll in the Fab Lab camp will learn about design and manufacturing principles and techniques through the process of designing and building an electric guitar. Students will also discover the processes that go into creating a consumer product and walk away from the class with a solid body electric guitar that they designed and built themselves. Along the way, students also learn about STEM concepts.

“AT&T is committed to helping advance the education of our young people, particularly in the critical fields of science, technology, engineering and math,” said Scott T. VanderSanden, president of AT&T Wisconsin. “We are proud to support FVTC’s Fab Lab and help student receive the STEM education they need to be prepared for careers in the 21st Century.”

FVTC’s Fab Lab works with area schools to engage students with creative projects that use manufacturing and technology skills, engineering tools and independent thinking. The Fab Lab also gives students an opportunity to connect and collaborate with other Fab Labs around the world to share project ideas and best practices in learning critical skill sets for today’s global economy.

“The Fab Lab is a unique learning center that not only encourages student exploration and imagination, but also exposes students to the exciting possibilities of careers in STEM fields,” said State Senator Luther Olsen. “It is great to see area businesses stepping up to help support the Fab Lab in local schools like Waupaca High School.”

The AT&T Wisconsin Innovation & Investment Award program provides funding to organizations and programs that improve the community by advancing education, enhancing the environment, promoting economic development, or delivering other community services.