By Brandy Navetta
Zeeland Public Schools
Engineering students at Zeeland East and Zeeland West High Schools stepped into the role of professional designers, as local engineers and manufacturing leaders volunteered their time to serve as judges for a student-led engineering design review.
The recent event marked a major milestone in the semester for students enrolled in the Engineering 2 course, which centers on the engineering design process, solid modeling, and technical drawing. Students were challenged to identify a real-world problem in their school, home, or daily life and design a physical solution using Autodesk Fusion. Each student created a single-part CAD model and produced a prototype using classroom 3D printers.
During the review, students presented their work to visiting engineers, explaining their problem-solving process, design decisions, testing and iteration, challenges encountered, and ideas for improvement. Industry judges evaluated each project using a formal rubric, focusing on students’ application of the design process and their ability to clearly communicate technical thinking.
East teacher Tyler Bartolacci said of the experience, “This event has been a fantastic experience for our students. Any time students get to interact with and learn from professionals who work in the field every day, it makes their learning more real and meaningful. We are fortunate that students in Zeeland have opportunities like this, not only in our engineering pathway, but across all of our career-based learning courses.”
The judging panel included engineering, manufacturing, and intellectual property professionals from across West Michigan, representing a wide range of specialties, including tooling, plastics, advanced manufacturing, vision technology, data management, and patent law. Their participation transformed the project into an authentic, real-world experience and provided students with valuable feedback and career insight.
In addition to the design review, visitors were welcomed to Zeeland’s student-run East Side Café, further highlighting the school’s emphasis on applied learning and student leadership.
Lisa Ghiardi, Zeeland Education Foundation director, said, “ZEF is excited to strengthen our connection with the Zeeland community and help showcase the exceptional programs across Zeeland Public Schools. With the support of our donors and community partners, the Zeeland Education Foundation is proud to expand opportunities for students, helping to make connections while continuing to invest in ZPS.”
Zeeland Public Schools continues to prioritize hands-on, career-connected learning experiences that help students develop technical skills, confidence, and professional communication.
Events like this design review demonstrate how classroom instruction, modern technology, and community partnerships come together to prepare students for future success.
For more information about engineering and career-based learning opportunities at Zeeland Public Schools, visit zps.org.
Zeeland Public Schools
Engineering students at Zeeland East and Zeeland West High Schools stepped into the role of professional designers, as local engineers and manufacturing leaders volunteered their time to serve as judges for a student-led engineering design review.
The recent event marked a major milestone in the semester for students enrolled in the Engineering 2 course, which centers on the engineering design process, solid modeling, and technical drawing. Students were challenged to identify a real-world problem in their school, home, or daily life and design a physical solution using Autodesk Fusion. Each student created a single-part CAD model and produced a prototype using classroom 3D printers.
During the review, students presented their work to visiting engineers, explaining their problem-solving process, design decisions, testing and iteration, challenges encountered, and ideas for improvement. Industry judges evaluated each project using a formal rubric, focusing on students’ application of the design process and their ability to clearly communicate technical thinking.
East teacher Tyler Bartolacci said of the experience, “This event has been a fantastic experience for our students. Any time students get to interact with and learn from professionals who work in the field every day, it makes their learning more real and meaningful. We are fortunate that students in Zeeland have opportunities like this, not only in our engineering pathway, but across all of our career-based learning courses.”
The judging panel included engineering, manufacturing, and intellectual property professionals from across West Michigan, representing a wide range of specialties, including tooling, plastics, advanced manufacturing, vision technology, data management, and patent law. Their participation transformed the project into an authentic, real-world experience and provided students with valuable feedback and career insight.
In addition to the design review, visitors were welcomed to Zeeland’s student-run East Side Café, further highlighting the school’s emphasis on applied learning and student leadership.
Lisa Ghiardi, Zeeland Education Foundation director, said, “ZEF is excited to strengthen our connection with the Zeeland community and help showcase the exceptional programs across Zeeland Public Schools. With the support of our donors and community partners, the Zeeland Education Foundation is proud to expand opportunities for students, helping to make connections while continuing to invest in ZPS.”
Zeeland Public Schools continues to prioritize hands-on, career-connected learning experiences that help students develop technical skills, confidence, and professional communication.
Events like this design review demonstrate how classroom instruction, modern technology, and community partnerships come together to prepare students for future success.
For more information about engineering and career-based learning opportunities at Zeeland Public Schools, visit zps.org.
