Mishawaka High uses grant for technology in the classroom

MISHAWAKA, Ind. (AP) - There is no shortage of noise Monday afternoon at Mishawaka High School where the whirring of drones and the buzzing of 3-D printers are becoming commonplace.

Upper level student Dakota Williams adds to the din, eagerly demonstrating how to fly one of the new drones bought with money from a $365,904 Tax Incremental Financing one-time grant from the City of Mishawaka to enhance School City of Mishawaka's Project Lead The Way programs.

State law allows for the capturing of property tax dollars in certain areas designated as TIFs - even the portion that would normally go to schools and other taxing units - to pay for improvements that support economic growth. Two years ago, Mishawaka schools, along with Penn-Harris-Madison School Corp. and South Bend Community School Corp. all requested TIF money from their respective cities to help pay for Project Lead the Way programs, which are science-, technology-, engineering- and math-based.

Based on the number of students in P-H-M schools who are Mishawaka residents, the city gave that school system about $125,000 in TIF money for Project Lead the Way.

South Bend schools received about $542,000 to be paid out over three years for computers, software and supplies for STEM-based programs in the city schools, South Bend Community Schools spokeswoman Sue Coney said Monday.

Ben Modlin, Project Lead the Way teacher at MHS, said the mission is to get students career ready. He said the biomedical program received about $127,000 and engineering received approximately $210,000.

"If we didn't have this grant, we'd be running on antiquated technology," Modlin said. "Now, the students have more time to learn and build on their computer and design skills."

Modlin said the money obtained from the grant was funneled into setting up a dual-monitor system for students, purchasing new technologies such as the 3-D printer and laser cutter and furthering other technological advancements. He said now all textbooks are online and the classroom has become much more efficient as a result of the faster technology.

"We've been able to get more done, and instead of scratching the surface we've been able to dig a lot deeper," Modlin said.

Mishawaka Mayor Dave Wood, along with other administrators, were present for MHS's showcase Monday afternoon. Modlin talked about the new equipment and Computer Integrated Manufacturing, a new class that was made possible by the TIF funds. Next year will be the first full academic year that the new equipment will be available and directly integrated into the curriculum.

"With the new class, students have said they can't wait for next year," Modlin said. "With this program kids don't know they're doing calculus or trigonometry, they're just solving for the problem in front of them."

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Source: South Bend Tribune, http://bit.ly/1Vh89hs

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Information from: South Bend Tribune, http://www.southbendtribune.com