A state grant is set to provide funding for fabrication labs at 25 schools around Wisconsin. A lawmaker behind the grants talks about the importance of these labs for getting kids interested in careers in technology. We also learn some diabetes-friendly Caribbean recipes, and Milwaukee County has had a significant increase in heroin and opioid related deaths over the last few years. We’re joined by Alderman Michael Murphy to talk about new initiatives being pursued to curb the incidences of drug overdoses in Milwaukee.
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Wisconsin Becoming A Leader In Providing Public School Students With Tools To Innovate
Wisconsin is on track to be a national leader in making fabrication labs — Fab Labs for short — available in public schools.
The Badger State recently made available grants to 25 school districts to build Fab Labs – design labs that offer hands-on learning experiences for K-12 students around STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills.
According to state Rep. Mary Czaja, who was a major supporter of the grants, there are currently 37 Fab Labs in Wisconsin, which gives the state a leading edge.
“We have more Fab Labs in the state of Wisconsin … than any other state in the U.S.,” said the Republican from Irma. “We have some of the only K-12 Fab Labs in the nation and in the world.”
These labs, which are an MIT initiative, are part of a global Fab Lab network, and all use a common set of tools and processes. Fab Labs offer a host of industrial-grade design and fabrication tools like 3-D printers, plasma cutters and mini-mills, all supported by open source software developed by MIT’s Center for Bits and Atoms.
Each Fab Lab must also provide public access to their tools.
One of the best examples of a successful Fab Lab is Three Lakes School District, which Czaja said “went all out and put in an amazing Fab Lab” securing private sector support along the way.
“In the three years they’ve had the Fab Lab, test scores are going up; truancies and detentions are going down,” said Czaja. “It’s literally changing how they’re educating kids.”
Czaja sees what she calls “non-traditional learners” particularly benefit from Fab Labs. Such students are hands-on learners and build problem-solving skills by doing, rather than sitting at a desk and listening to instruction, she said.
“This is giving these kids an opportunity,” said Czaja. “This is the class of kids that are really, really excelling the most.”
There’s also a strong community involvement component to Fab Labs. Many programs are supported by retired engineers who volunteer to help students through problems. Local businesses find that Fab Labs can help them solve problems and, in some cases, they even place orders for students to fill.
“It’s just really a community-centered project,” said Czaja, “and it’s positive for the kids, positive for retirees, positive for the business.”
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Milwaukee Introduces New Initiative To Combat Heroin And Opioid Overdose Deaths In The City
Between 2012 and 2015 there were 888 deaths related to heroin and opioid overdoses in Milwaukee County. A new set of initiatives announced this week aims to bring down the mortality rate in the city. Michael Murphy, Alderman of Milwaukee’s 10th District and the Common Council President, joins us to talk about the new measures.
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Twenty-five school districts around the state recently received grants to build fabrication labs to get kids interested in STEM fields and the skilled trades. A lawmaker behind the push for these grants explains why the “fab labs” are good for hands-on learning.
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Healthy And Diabetic-Friendly Cuban Cooking
On today’s Food Friday we talk to a Cuban/Colombian/American, salsa-dancing, MMA-fighting, classically trained chef. Chef Ronaldo Linares joins us and talks to us about healthy Cuban cooking, especially for people managing diabetes.
Episode Credits
- Rob Ferrett Host
- Veronica Rueckert Host
- Marika Suval Producer
- J. Carlisle Larsen Producer
- Matt Oleson Producer
- Haleema Shah Producer
- Mary Czaja Guest
- Michael Murphy Guest
- Ronaldo Linares Guest
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