Amazon surprises Shakopee junior highs with donation

Shakopee Valley News

What students are creating in the technology programs at Shakopee East and West junior highs sounds like something out of a science fiction novel, where the junior highs are in space in 2070 instead of a Twin Cities suburb in 2017.

Some students are putting microchips in their retainers so they can be easily located. Others are designing entire houses with complete architecture.

One pair of students designed a type of glove with a speaker and sensors that detect what their deaf friend is signing and says it out loud.

It's the kind of thing that makes a company which relies heavily on technology take notice — and Amazon did.

Amazon did a surprise donation Thursday to Shakopee West Junior High School and Shakopee East Junior High School with $10,000 worth in technology and equipment.

The school knew of the donation a few weeks in advance, but didn't who the sponsor was until the last minute.

Amazon gave both schools a computer numerical control machine, or CNC machine, Amazon Fire tablets and robotic arms, the same used at Amazon factories to move boxes.

"If they're doing the same kind of coding and input process, then we're training kids to literally be able to step into Amazon, walk in off of the street and say, 'I can do this,'" Technology and Engineering teacher TJ Hendrickson said. "And I'm guessing they would get a higher pay grade than somebody they have to train."

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as STEM, is a rapidly growing — and changing — field. 

Only 16 percent of high school seniors were interested in STEM careers in 2014, according to a CNN Money article. A proposed point-based immigration act awards more points for STEM degrees, according to a TIME article.

Hendrickson said one of the best quotes he's heard is from a high school technology teacher, Karl Fisch: "We are currently preparing students for jobs that don't yet exist using technologies that haven't been invented ... in order to solve problems we don't even know are problems yet."

Get involved with STEM early helps students learn how to learn and prepare for high school and beyond, Hendrickson said.

"What we're trying to do is get the kids, for lack of a better word, a chance to sample a series of different careers," he said.

Hendrickson said one of his students was able to take classes for college credit and enter the University of St. Thomas as a junior — saving her two years of paying a four-year college tuition, which can be steep.

And companies want this knowledge as soon as possible, Hendrickson said. Businesses will even go into technical schools and pay for a students' education if the student accepts a position with the company.

"Marketability — it all comes out to how well you can sell yourself, and if our kids come out more prepared, they can contribute more to hopefully, the City of Shakopee or wherever they're at," Hendrickson said. "That's what I want. I want to see the kids feel good and more importantly, feel valued."

The Amazon donations will be able to help the kids produce more with their limited time in the classrooms.

The 3D printer, for instance, can print items eight inches by eight inches at a time. The printer also requires more time to cool down between jobs, more time to create products and works with a limited amount of materials. 

The CNC machine, however, can cut items that are two feet by three feet. It has a liquid-cooling system, meaning it doesn't have to be shut down as often and can cut a number of materials including stone, plastic, wood and more — and one other big advantage.

"For a junior high setting, it's nearly indestructible," Hendrickson said.

With the CNC machine, students will be able to take a computerized 3D image and convert that to mathematical formulas. The machine is then able to cut the materials based on the formulas, bringing the image to reality.

With the robotic arms, students will learn the coding required and be able to control the arms through programming.

With the tablets, students can learn app design and control both the arms and the CNC machine.

Employees from Amazon visited the school to gift the equipment. Students who attended were also able to check out the tools ahead of time. Hendrickson said he estimated up to 3,500 students will be able to use the donations over the course of the school year.