Wisco Champions

INSIDERYOUR gifts in action!

Engineering curriculum sets WLHS students apart with real-world applicationsOur WLHS students are constantly thinking about their futures, about their careers and about what life-altering technological breakthroughs can help advance them in life. Just think about it—the next extraordinary idea could come from one of our own WLHS graduates! Because that’s exactly what Director of Trade and Technology, Mr. James Hahm is thinking about each and every day he teaches here at WLHS.

Project Lead the Way (PLTW) is a unique program that offers students enormous freedom to invent and innovate, limited only by their imagination. Unlike traditional classroom instruction, these classes offer hands-on experience with real-world application, proving to students the relevance of math and science in potential career fields.PLTW at WLHS is off to an exciting start, but the possibilities for advancement are limitless.

The first group of students to complete all four years of the PLTW program wrapped up their capstone class last semester, with final projects that amazed their teachers, peers and parents. Here are a couple of the highlights:

Knee brace: improves motion and improves standing by 30-40%.

Storable bike power: battery stores energy for later use, for lights and phone battery charging.

And this is just the beginning. Consider the wonderful imaginations our students have been blessed with! As this program continues to grow, it is exciting to anticipate what innovations might be showcased at the next capstone presentation.

Your gifts have helped purchase some of the equipment used today. Currently, WLHS owns a3-D printer, which allows students to produce impressive three-dimensional models of their creations, but Mr. Hahm envisions the program at an even higher level. His wish list includes a Computer Numerically Controlled (CNC) machine, an engraver/laser/cutting machine and a CNC plasma cutter. These tools, as well as the addition of engineering classrooms as part of the Gifted for Praise building campaign, will set the program at WLHS apart from other Science, Technology, Engineering & Math (STEM) schools. Few schools have the ability to generate the full circle in the engineering and manufacturing relationship.

September 2014

Hahm hopes PLTW will pique the interest of more young women like Kara Johnson.

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WLHS students not only learn theory, but experience the entire real-world process, an invaluable opportunity.

In addition to students’ current achievement, Mr. Hahm plans to position future students to achieve even more. STEM fields lack involvement from women, and studies indicate that in order to attract girls into technical fields, they should be exposed to them during middle school. Mr. Hahm is already working with some of the WLHS conference grade schools to implement a middle school version of PLTW. This earlier introduction will result in even more opportunities for our WLHS graduates. Mr. Hahm’s efforts represent a vital component of Wisconsin Lutheran High School’s mission to “prepare youth in a diverse world for productive, Christ-centered lives.”

You can view more of these projects on our Flickr page www.flickr.com/photos/wisconsinlutheranhs

If you would like more information on becoming a student mentor or participating in this program, please contact Matt Bilitz at 414-453-4567 ext. 2015 or matt.bilitz@wlhs.org.

Thank you for your faithful financial gifts which makethese outstanding programs possible.

The Wisco Champions Insider is your resource for first-hand information about how your gifts are improving the mission of WLHS. For more information on any of the stories presented here or how you can further impact any of these programs, please contact Chief Development Officer Jim Johnson at 414-453-4567 ext. 2017 or jim.johnson@wlhs.org.

Stay connected to WLHS!Don’t forget to let us know if your e-mail changed!We don’t want you to miss out on any of the exciting things happening here at WLHS. Contact Nancy Raabe at 414-453-4567 ext 2016 or nancy.raabe@wlhs.org to stay connected.

Avery Meeks presented his work in the Senior Art Show on May 21, 2014.

Our Hands for His Service raised $30,486 for this year’s mission project, “Raising the Roof on Everest.” Funds will help complete the building of 8 Scripture learning centers in the Himalayas.

President Fisher and Tyler Parbs demonstrate a poweredknee brace

Storable bike power conceptual drawing