CMSD NEWS BUREAU

5/20/2019

The Cleveland Cavaliers and Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. have built a new STEM lab where CMSD teachers will train to incorporate digital fabrication in instruction.

The space, located at the East Professional Center, was a chemistry lab when the building, now used for professional development, was known as East High School. Most recently, the lab served as a storage room.

“It’s amazing,” said Sarah Wallace, who oversees MC²STEM High School’s mobile Fab Lab, used by students across the District. “And it’s just going to get better and better as we put more equipment and people in there. When teachers know more about it, we’re going to be pushing people away.”

For now, the lab has four 3D printers. Wallace said plans call for adding more 3D printers, plus laser and vinyl cutters and other digital fabrication equipment.

Students will also learn and work in the lab, which the Cavaliers and Goodyear Tire & Rubber unveiled Monday. The project is part of a $1 million commitment that the team and the tire maker made to support STEM education in the Cleveland and Akron schools.

Cavs CEO Len Komoroski noted how important STEM education is to the Cavaliers.

"From working with data and analytics on and off the court, to working with the ice in vending machines, we use STEM every day," he said.

Students from Orchard STEM, Riverside and Tremont Montessori schools were present for the unveiling.

Todd Macsuga, general manager for brand marketing for Goodyear, told them: "There are opportunities all throughout Goodyear in STEM, from design and manufacturing our tires to piloting the blimp.”