Wednesday, March 19, 2025
The Baldwin school district has been selected as one of the recipients of this year’s AASA, The School Superintendents Association Helping Kids Mini Grant in conjunction with Sourcewell, an initiative to enhance educational facilities and improve students’ learning experiences.
The district’s Technology Department will receive $2,500, which will be used to purchase advanced CNC router machines, providing Baldwin High School students with cutting-edge tools for hands-on learning.
The router machines, computer-controlled cutting tools, will allow students to shape, engrave and carve various materials such as wood, plastic, metal and foam using precise digital programming. The introduction of this technology marks a significant step up from traditional manufacturing methods, fostering collaborative, project-based learning opportunities for students.
Baldwin was among 16 school districts across the country selected for the grant.
“We are proud to be among the winners of Sourcewell/AASA’s Helping Kids Mini Grant program, which will allow Baldwin High School’s Technology Department to acquire state-of-the-art CNC router machines,” Shari Camhi, the district’s superintendent, wrote in a news release. “The new technology will enhance our curriculum across multiple disciplines, including woodworking, engineering, and robotics. With these new tools, we can better prepare our students for the future of manufacturing and design.”
Initially used for industrial purposes, the router machines could be traced to the early 1970s, when the development of computer-aided design software and automated machinery began to revolutionize manufacturing. Over the years, the technology has become more accessible, with smaller and more affordable versions being used in educational settings to teach students about engineering, design and fabrication.
CNC routers are now essential in fields like manufacturing, architecture and product design, providing hands-on learning opportunities that prepare students for a wide range of careers in STEM and creative industries.
“The new CNC Router Machines in the classroom would be incorporated into the curriculum for numerous courses, from wood working, college engineering, to college robotics, and college technical drawing,” Anthony DeAngelis, technology teacher at Baldwin High School, wrote in an email to the Herald. “Many modern fabrication and assembly shops have successfully integrated CNC manufacturing labs.
“By introducing these relevant classroom technologies, our high school can transition from traditional hand manufacturing, which utilizes separate machines for individual projects, to fostering collaborative group work within the classroom,” he added.
DeAngelis explained that the projects students would create with the machines range from wood carvings to aluminum brackets used in robotics, with these brackets being designed in technical drawing classes and manufactured in engineering and robotics programs.
He emphasized that incorporating modern, portable and flexible learning equipment would better align with current job markets and better prepare students for life after high school by reflecting the realities of today’s workforce.
The AASA Helping Kids Mini Grant Program, which was created in 2012, seeks to support public school districts by funding projects that improve both district infrastructure and learning environments.
“AASA is thrilled to be able to support public school districts,” David R. Schuler, AASA’s executive director, stated in a news release. “We pride ourselves as the premier national organization of service for the education community, and it’s part of our fabric to help provide opportunities for districts to better themselves and their communities.”
