Onalaska schools receive $25,000 grant for Fab Lab

 Fab lab will be open to community members within the next two years

A $25,000 grant has been awarded from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corp. to the Onalaska School District to construct a “Fab Lab”, a small scale workshop with digital equipment including laser printers and 3D engravers.

The district previously failed to receive a grant last year, the first opportunity it was available. 

A fab lab is designed to utilize science, engineering, technology and math to prepare students for manufacturing jobs.

Onalaska was one of 21 districts to get the grant, out of 69 schools that applied.

“They already had established the direction in which they were willing to commit, they were willing to march,” Lt. Gov. Rebecca Kleifisch said during the presentation at Onalaska High School. “They said, ‘This is where we’re going to call our shot.’

“We’re happy to buttress an effort like that.”

Onalaska High School principal Jared Schaffner says a recent visit to a local employer was an eye opener

“He showed us the level of critical thinking, the amount of adjustments, the amount of making a process work for all of his employees in the plant that day,” Schaffner said. “That’s what we’re concerned about, making sure that when students leave here, they have the foundation for being able to be employable.”