Helping out a Healthcare Occupations Class at Red Bluff High School
No matter where you are or what you’re doing, get ready to cheer on those Spartans at Red Bluff High School! They’re celebrating a major first —and we’re celebrating with them. This high school in Northern California is the first school to Buy Two, Give One with MakerBot. They bought two MakerBot® Replicator® Desktop 3D Printers and received a refurbished model for free.
To prepare their students for the jobs of the future, Red Bluff High School is going far beyond offering a garden variety education. Just ask Rochelle Barajas; she’s both a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) and Career and Technical Education (CTE) teacher there.
Integrating 3D Printers in the Curriculum
Within a week of receiving the first MakerBot 3D printer, Barajas and a colleague already had it up and running. Barajas is incorporating two 3D printers into the school’s certified Project Lead the Way computer science pathway. She’ll now be teaching an Exploring Computer Science class as well as a Computer Science and Software Engineering class with 3D printing and TinkerCAD. One of her colleagues will incorporate the third 3D printer into the high school’s AutoCAD classes.
With a CTE curriculum, Red Bluff High School can integrate both technical, vocational skills and academic subjects within one class. This approach can prepare students for college, technical certifications, and specific careers that are in demand within the U.S. PLTW certification adds an even greater level of intensive learning that benefits both students and teachers.
PLTW is a leading provider of STEM programs nationwide and a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. To ensure that their programs will prepare students for success in the real world, PLTW offers professional development for teachers and consults with community and corporate partners when creating programs. Overall, PLTW adds another level of quality, relevance, and rigor that is recognized by colleges and successful professionals already in the workforce.
Before teaching a year-long PLTW-certified class, teachers must first attend a two-week training. When Barajas attended that training in San Diego, her trainer recommended MakerBot Replicator Desktop 3D printers. Red Bluff High School already had another brand’s 3D printer but it required too much manual control.
Empowering Tomorrow’s Innovators Today
For educators out there wondering what’s possible in your classroom, you too can empower your students with MakerBot 3D printing. The city of Red Bluff isn’t big. It has a population just over 14,000 and Red Bluff High School is one of two in the area. Barajas and her colleagues are opening-up wider possibilities for their students beyond high school. Whether your school is in a town, a mid-sized city, or a metropolis, give your students a leg up for the future.
Learn more about Buy Two, Give One with MakerBot.