Neshoba Central opens innovation center

Ribbon was cut last Thursday afternoon officially opening the Neshoba County School District Center for Manufacturing and Innovation as part of the district’s vision to “graduate all students college and career ready.”

 

The total investment in the M&I Center was $327,000, with federal monies funding a large portion of the overall project.

 

The center is located in the former ROTC facility on the east campus. ROTC is housed in the new high school.

 

The purpose of the M&I center is two-fold. 

 

The school day purpose is to create a space for students in Engineering I & II, Physics, Agriculture I & II and Digital Media I & II to collaborate on projects they are interested in creating. 

 

Several of their projects were on display Thursday including metal fire pits and metal signs.

 

Welding and carpentry students will be able to work with these groups on projects as well. Digital Media will use the center to promote and advertise projects created by students. 

 

The goal is for a class to develop an “idea” and utilize all the other classes to bring the idea to fruition. Teamwork is essential in that it is one of the attributes that employers look for in their employees, school officials said.

 

The second purpose is for after-school Workforce Development training in the areas of welding, sheet metal skills, etc. Skills needed to obtain National Industry Certification is the primary focus of the Workforce Development initiative as well as employment with industries or college placement. 

 

The M&I center is similar to a science lab except it is based on student ideas. 

 

“Our goal from the beginning was to provide innovative opportunities for our students, staff and community to enjoy,” Dr. Lundy Brantley, superintendent of education, said prior to the ribbon being cut Thursday.

 

“This is part of Goal 3 and Goal 5 of the Neshoba County School District’s Strategic Plan. By providing first-class facilities for our students, we are showing them that we can compete with anyone in this state and to never settle for second place.”

 

Dr. Brantley said the M&I center is not the end product, “but the beginning of something great!”

 

He thanked the taxpayers of Neshoba County “for providing this amazing facility for our students as well as the encouragement and interest given toward the project.”

 

Dr. Brantley told those in attendance for the ribbon cutting that “students are of utmost importance to us and we continually strive to provide opportunities that will help them compete in a global market along with facilities that provide a positive encouraging atmosphere.”

 

Dr. Brantley recognized members of the School Board: President Davis Fulton, Vice President Wyatt Waddell, Secretary Jimmie Joiner, Jill Byars and Michelle Phillips.

 

He also recognized high school assistant principal Dana McLain, other administrators and the key school personnel who worked on the project along with engineering instructor Sedera Anderson, agriculture instructor Derek Huffman and their students “for all the hard work in remodeling the M&I center.”

 

Also in attendance were Sen. Jenifer Branning, Rep. Scott Bounds, Community Development Partnership President David Vowell, East Central Community College President Brent Gregory, current state board member and retired Madison County Superintendent Dr. Ronnie McGehee and several other area leaders.

 

The Neshoba County School District has partnered with East Central Community College’s Workforce Development Center to offer afternoon and evening courses in the center in multiple areas of workforce development. 

“This partnership will enable current NCSD students to obtain certifications for employment,” Dr. Brantley said. “Courses will be offered to the public as well.”

 

The M&I center will have the capacity to adjust to the needs of local industry, Brantley said. 

 

“Local industry will have the opportunity to partner with the Neshoba County School District and ECCC to create skill specific development opportunities for their industry.”

 

Dr. Brantley said the M&I center is another component of the school district to accomplish the vision of “graduating all students college and career ready with courses, certifications and external opportunities beyond a high school diploma.”

 

 

 

 

 

Redefining Ready!

 

The Neshoba County School District participates in Redefining Ready! which is a national initiative to measure college and career readiness. Redefining Ready! more accurately measures 21st Century Skills by measuring industry credentials, dual credit and attendance, among others. The innovation lab will enable students more opportunity to reach their college and career ready goals.  

 

Among possible certifications are:

 

NCCER Welding Level 1 (Secondary)

 

NCCER Welding Level 2 (Secondary)

 

NIMS Machining Level 1 – CNC Milling: Operations

 

NIMS Machining Level 1 – CNC Milling; Programming Setup & Operations

 

NIMS Machining Level 1 – CNC Turning: Operations

 

NIMS Machining Level 1 – CNC Turning; Programming Setup & Operations

 

NIMS Machining Level 2 – CNC Milling Skills II

 

NIMS Machining Level 2 – CNC Turning Skills II

 

Equipment

 

The M&I Lab is furnished with state-of-the-art equipment including:

 

• Welding Booths (curtains, panels, welding tables)

 

• Power Mig, multipurpose welder

 

• AC/DC Water Cooled One Pack, welder

 

• Intermediate EDU Gear Ready-Pak

 

• Formlabs-Form 3, 3D Printer

 

• HP Design Inkjet Plotter (Blueprint printer) 

 

• HP Design Inkjet Printer-Poster Maker

 

• EPSON Solvent Digital Printer

 

• Grommet Punch and Grommets

 

• Ultra HD 3D Scanner

 

• Brady Ready Access Lockout Station with Safety Padlocks

 

• LJ Create Electronics Workstation

 

• Dremel 3D45 Printer

 

• Forest Scientific Convert-A-Plasma Table Cutter/Router

 

• Forest CNC Metal Lathe Machine

 

• Trotec Speedy Laser Engraver