The Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe (LCOO) K-12 School became the first tribal school in Wisconsin to be awarded a Fab Lab grant, nearly $20,000, to help students enhance their science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) skills as part of their professional development.

A “fab lab,” according to a Governor Tony Evers’ press release, stands for “fabrication laboratory” or a “high technology workshop equipped with computer-controlled manufacturing components such as 3D printers, laser engravers, computer numerical control (CNC) routes and plasma cutters.”

To celebrate this significant award, Gov. Evers (D-Madison) and Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes made an appearance on Wednesday, April 26 at Tammy Moncel’s science lab/Fab Lab at the middle school where her students demonstrated for the two Madison visitors how to use a flight stimulator and move two different types of robots the students had programed around the room.

Hughes said the Fab Lab equipment is an investment into the students’ future.

“So we bring the businesses and the students and people who want to work together and find opportunities,” she said, “And one of the ways that we do that is with the Fab Lab program, by making sure when you’re going to school you have a chance to see different types of machinery you might see when you go into a business when you decide, you know, I want to go work for that company, or I want to run my own company and what kind of equipment do I need, and so it’s really exciting that we’re able to help you learn those things and explore and have different ideas about what you want to be when you grow up.”

[Adapted from: Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe first tribal school in state to receive Fab Lab grant May 3, 2023 Sawyer County Record]