To celebrate the opening of SCHS’s new Fabrication Laboratory, several students, teachers, and representatives of funding companies attended an opening event last Tuesday.

SCHS’s band played vibrant music as people mingled, chatted, and enjoyed the atmosphere of the new facilities.

The event was held in SCHS’s old Science Lecture Hall, which was recently converted into the FabLab. The FabLab is associated with SCHS’s new STEM program, which allows 60 students in each grade to work with a more accelerated Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math curriculum.

The STEM Lab was put together by the 49ers Foundation, Chevron, the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, the Santa Clara Unified School District, and SCHS. The vision for the lab, according to Muhammed Chaudhry, founder of SVEF, was all about preparing students for college and STEM careers.

“[It’s] a lot of hands-on learning: students can design, they can define, build, learn, scale, and put those things together,” Chaudhry said.

The opening of the lab wasn’t only for showing off the facilities — it signified the solidification of the STEM program at SCHS.

For students, the process to join STEM begins with applying in sixth grade, and then joining the Cabrillo Middle School STEM program. The 60 freshmen who are involved with STEM this year are the first batch of students to come into SCHS’s program, and there will be another batch of 60 freshmen each year in order to expand the curriculum.

Jennifer Lee, who works for the STEM Leadership Institute, says STEM students will spend over 300 hours a year with STEM, including Wednesdays before school or weekends

“The lab is there so students can take charge of their technological futures,” Sherri Lassiter, who’s a part of Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s global initiative for the FabLab program, said.

Marlene Spector, who teaches Algebra 2 Honors to the STEM students, attended the event and spoke about her role in the STEM curriculum. Together, she and Biology teacher Suzanne Miller-Moody will use the new equipment and facilities to enhance their lessons.

“[We] integrate tech into the curriculum so it’s more collaborative,” Spector said.

To be able to use the machines in the lab, such as the 3D printers and laser cutters, Spector and Miller-Moody had to undergo four weeks of training over the summer. Once more SCHS staff members are trained to use the equipment, the lab will be open to all classes, and to the public.

The STEM Lab at SCHS is anything but ordinary. According to Lassiter, SCHS’s FabLab is of just five in the state of California. Senior Tamara Pantic says its novelty and versatility will affect SCHS in a very positive way.

“This is going to impact everyone on campus,” Pantic said. “Even if you don’t use any of the equipment… there’s space to draw and write out things, so classes could come in to just think and plan and strategize.”

And the lab isn’t just limited to STEM classes; it has the potential to benefit other subjects and even individual projects.

“Art and history classes will use space to make things come to life, and once more people are trained, students will be able to come in individually, with specific lab hours, and they could work on their own projects,” Pantic said.

As for the future of the lab, Mike Wirth, Chevron’s Executive VP of Midstream and Development, is eager and hopeful.

“The goal is to make science and technology fun for students, to get kids excited about their potential and use their creativity,” Wirth said. “Most jobs in the world require technological skills, and this makes resources available for students to learn these skills, and make it fun, so college is fun and jobs are fun.”

With goals of innovation and inspiration, and new facilities to reach those goals, all those who put the lab together are looking forward to the future.

Reporting contributed by Hannah Shin and Olivia Jones.