MEERA Gives Lakeshore Students a Hands-On Look at Engineering

A new elective at Lakeshore Middle School is giving students a chance to try engineering and manufacturing for themselves—and perhaps discover an interest they did not know they had.

Introduced this school year for seventh- and eighth-grade students, MEERA stands for Manufacturing and Engineering Education Reimagined for All. The hands-on class introduces students to the tools, skills, and problem-solving used in modern manufacturing. For their teacher, Nathan Mihalek, its greatest value may be helping students see possibilities beyond the careers they already know.

“A lot of students in middle school don’t really know what’s out there,” Mihalek said.

By trying different kinds of work, students can begin to picture opportunities they might otherwise never consider.

During a recent class, students worked in teams to identify unknown 3D printing materials. They tested how samples responded to heat, bending, impact, and force, then compared their findings with the known properties of PLA, ABS, and TPU. They had to look closely, make a judgment based on evidence, and explain how they reached it.

The work builds habits that matter beyond any one project, Mihalek explained. Students must measure carefully, pay attention to detail, and be consistent. In some situations, an answer that is close may be enough. In engineering, a small difference in measurement can matter.

The lab also gives students room to make mistakes and learn from them. If a sample breaks when they did not expect it to, they can examine what happened and adjust their approach.

“They get excited when they know we’re going into the lab,” Mihalek added.

Seventh-grader Adelyn Wolniakowski said working with classmates makes the material investigation more interesting.

“I really like working with a team to figure out how to notice what’s different, because we don’t all notice the same things,” she said.

A teammate may spot a crack or another detail she missed.

Adelyn signed up after learning about engineering and robotics through her father’s work. She designs objects for her family’s 3D printer and is excited to explore more skills in class. Eighth-grader Dean Myers said he enjoys “the freedom to use this equipment” and is looking forward to trying welding.

Mihalek hopes students will take more than technical skills from the elective. The goal is for them to use what they have learned in class to solve a problem in a new situation. The experience could also change what a student imagines doing in the future.

“We want to develop learners that can take the information that they get from class and apply it to other situations,” Mihalek said.

The hope is that some students will have a moment when they recognize a future path that fits their interests.

MEERA is a regional program supported by a teacher training center at Kent ISD, and Lakeshore is among the West Michigan schools offering it. At Lakeshore, each project gives students another way to test their abilities, learn what interests them, and see where those interests might lead.