Hutchinson High School to teach engineering

Hutchinson High School technical education teacher Daryl Lundin has been busy in and out of the classroom for the past several months.

He, other educators and employees of PTC — a company specializing in product development software — are teaming up to create engineering curriculum targeted at high school students.

The cooperative venture began last February when the high school hosted a conference with representatives from PTC, St. Cloud State University, Ridgewater College, 3M, Hutchinson Technology Inc. and the Minnesota Department of Education.

“It’s been a great experience working with PTC and the Pro-Engineering software, as well as with Daryl,” Principal Ron Johnson said.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty has put the pressure on Minnesota school districts to increase classtime for science, technical education and math — a program dubbed STEM.

“The STEM initiative has been behind us all the way,” Lundin said.

Lundin has been traveling the country training in the software and training others. PTC chose him as their go-to guy in education to help develop a complete curriculum plan using the Pro-E software.

In March, he and Johnson made the trek to Boston, Mass., to discuss new curriculum ideas and planning with fellow educators from across the nation. In May, Lundin gave a presentation on the PTC software at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken New Jersey.

His next travel date is Monday, June 25, with the STEM conference in St. Paul.

Using the system, students are able to digitally design cameras, cell phones, cars and helicopters — or any other creation they think of.

“It’s almost like playing a video game,” Lundin said. “Once they get into it, it’s hard to let go of it.”

All of the traveling and time out of the classroom was made possible in part by 3M. The local branch of the nationwide company gave the school a $7,400 grant to help pay for Lundin’s release time so he could research industry to better prepare this new curriculum.

The push for more product-development classes at the high school level is a result of trends in industries that demand engineers.

“There is, right now, a very strong shortage of engineers,” Lundin said. “We need to support and encourage our high school students to pursue these careers.”

For the full story, check out the Thursday, June 21 print edition of the Leader.

(Lesley Christianson is a staff writer for the Hutchinson Leader.)
christianson@hutchinsonleader.com