FWCS opens new Design, Innovation Studios at Blackhawk, Shawnee middle schools

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA) - Fort Wayne Community Schools (FWCS) cut the ribbon on two new Design and Innovation Studios Friday — one at Shawnee Middle School and one at Blackhawk Middle School.

The hands-on STEM labs give students 3D printers, robotics, drones, Spheros and other tech to design, build and problem-solve.

The labs were made possible through a partnership with Purdue University’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC) and Cummins Inc.

Gayatri Adi, senior manager in Corporate Responsibility at Cummins, says she never had access to this type of technology growing up, and wants students to have that opportunity now.

Blackhawk Computing Foundations Teacher Ryan Hubley says he switched to teach the class because of the new studio. He says students lit up when he brought out the Spheros and told them about the drones.

7th-grader Jillian Sellhorn says she was able to 3D-print a whistle in 30 minutes — and the studio is opening her eyes to careers in computers and AI.

Blackhawk and Shawnee join Jefferson Middle School and Arlington STEM Elementary, which opened studios last school year. FWCS now has four studios district-wide.

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