KEEL Innovation Center

As our teams grow, the need for additional space becomes increasingly apparent. In 2023, we integrated the FIRST® LEGO League (FLL) and Hemlock Middle School's FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC) programs into our space. Now, phase two is well underway, with construction nearly complete since starting in May.

The expansion of our facilities is a vital step in accommodating our growing teams. The addition of KEEL Innovation Center, which includes a LEGO Lab, an Electronics Lab, a 3D Printing Lab, and a Computing and Design Lab, highlights our commitment to equipping students with the skills essential for the future.

While we're excited to open our doors soon, there’s still a lot of work to be done. We're actively developing curriculum pieces for our STEM Pilot program, designed to inspire students to pursue Computer Science education and other STEM careers. Additionally, there are still naming opportunities available for those who wish to leave a lasting impact on this project.

This expansion continues to transform our facility into a world-class center, serving as a source of inspiration for our community and region. Beyond academic growth, we are creating a space that prepares our students to tackle the challenges of the future workforce.

We invite you to explore the Lockwood STEM Center and witness firsthand the valuable opportunities it offers to our students. For any inquiries or to arrange a visit, please feel free to contact us.

More Information

See the official KEEL Innovation Center brochure for more renderings, drawings, and information about the expansion, relationships, and investing.

KEEL Innovation Center Brochure

KEEL Innovation Center Flyer

Why?

In our endeavor to fundraise and make our dream of this space become a reality, we present four compelling reasons to support the KEEL Innovation Center.

KEEL Innovation Center:

Prepare students upon high school graduation to succeed in college, particularly in areas of math and science.

78% of high school graduates do not meet benchmark readiness for one or more college courses in mathematics, science, reading, or English.

Inspire Students to Consider STEM Careers

In the Great Lakes Bay Region - 38% of economic output comes from manufacturing
In the Great Lakes Bay Region - 71% of employers had difficulty in hiring students over the past 12 months.

Provide safe, high-value, high-cognitive after-school activities for students

Afterschool programs make students 20% less likely to drop out of high school.
Decreased disciplinary incidents and risky behavior.
Improved decision-making skills.

Increase the number of female students considering STEM Careers

Women make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering, and math.
Women make up only 16% of Engineers and Architects.
Participation in high school STEM programs makes females twice as likely to pursue STEM careers.

For more information about the individual labs, see below.

Computing and Design Lab

This lab will be a multi-purpose technology space and will include state-of-the-art computers for students to create CAD models that can be output to 3D printers or CNC routers and mills. This space will also host “coding camps” focused on FIRST Robotics programming as well as teaching embedded programming projects using Arduinos and other microcontrollers.

Students will gain experience programming Artificial Intelligence and computer-vision systems so they can be at the forefront of some of the most important and exciting technologies.

Students will also learn to program a Universal Robot UR5 industrial “cobot.

3D Print Lab

The 3D Print Lab will provide a safe, secure space where 3D printing can conveniently happen. In an “open facility,” it is vital to have a space where the printers are protected from the students and the students are protected from the printers. The printers are sensitive and have print nozzles that get very hot and can burn students.

The 3D Print Lab’s location next to the Computing and Design Lab lets students bring their CAD models to life. Various materials can be printed, from soft TPU to rigid and extremely strong Carbon Fiber nylon. This space will host the team’s various printers by companies like Mark Forged, Bambu Labs, Creality, and Ultimaker.

Electronics Lab

The STEM labs will consist of four unique spaces each dedicated to developing a STEM skill. One of those labs is the Electronics Lab. This lab will be focused on learning skills important to the field of electronics including soldering, wiring, and testing. This space will provide hands-on experiences with reading schematics, building CAN networks and understanding electrical units of measure like volts, watts, and amps.

The four ubiquitous instruments: digital multimeters, oscilloscopes, power supplies, and spectrum analyzers will be available for student use.

This space will provide key skills in rounding out students' knowledge of microprocessors and programming. Being able to move between the Computing & Design Lab, and the Electronics Lab will add clarity to the integration of electrical and software systems.

Lego Lab

Let’s have some fun! The Lego Labs will provide an inspirational and safe environment for students 4th grade through 6th grade to challenge themselves by building, modifying, coding, and then competing with their robots.

Lego walls, Brain Bins(boxes of assorted hands-on materials), Spike Lego robots, Dot, Dash and Cue robots, WeDo robots, Ozobots, TTS Bee-Bots, glue guns, and lots of legos and hands-on learning aids like the Turin Tumble will let the students explore engaging STEAM topics.

Their current build space is in the STEM Center where they have to share resources with Middle School and High School students. While the STEM Center’s Arena is an exciting place to be, it is noisy! The Lego Lab will be a place that the FLL teams can call their own.

Questions? Contact us!

Please contact Tom Lockwood at lockwood@hemlockps.com or message us on our socials!

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