Bucyrus students can now create personalized key chains and Christmas ornaments with laser

Oksana Kotkina, Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum
·4 min read

Bucyrus City Schools received laser engraver and other art equipment purchased with Title IV Funds aimed at enhancing well-rounded education, said Director of Curriculum Jonathan Muro.

He said that Title IV Funds that were made available to the district in 2015 cannot be used for purchasing equipment and materials that are required by law for such classes as ELA and Math.

“The purpose of the Title IV program is to improve students' academic achievement by providing students with access to a well-rounded education beyond what they receive in English Language Arts, Math, Science, and Social Studies,” Muro said.

For that reason the district decided to spend the funds on art equipment as it contributes to the students' social and emotional learning and shows them how art can become their career in the future.

With the new laser engraver for $6,495, the possibilities become obvious, as the students in Matt Feck’s art class in the Bucyrus Secondary School were able to create key chain ornaments based on their own designs in just one class period.

Matt Feck explaining to the students how to use laser engraver. The students are Madelyn Weiler, 14, (left) and Addie Weber.
Matt Feck explaining to the students how to use laser engraver. The students are Madelyn Weiler, 14, (left) and Addie Weber.

What equipment was purchased

Feck said other equipment purchased with the laser engraver included pottery wheels, 3-D pens that help create 3-D objects, a kiln for glass mosaics, pottery clay, and others.

All of this, he said, will help the students produce higher quality art that will in the future help them qualify for learning or doing art professionally, as well as enrich them and prepare them with the right experiences for engineering and technology classes.

Feck said that with the new laser printer, the students in the class could create personalized art items, such as wood and metal key chains or even engraved marshmallows.

“The possibilities are endless,” said Feck.

The original artwork could be created as simply as with doodling with a black marker on a white piece of paper, he said. The images are then uploaded to the related computer program, sized as desired and sent to print.

Art teacher Matt Feck helps Aubrie Kimmel upload and size her drawing in the computer program that will make it ready for printing. As the plan was to gradually print out all the motives made by the students in the class, Feck advised Kimmel to position her tree closer to his example.
Art teacher Matt Feck helps Aubrie Kimmel upload and size her drawing in the computer program that will make it ready for printing. As the plan was to gradually print out all the motives made by the students in the class, Feck advised Kimmel to position her tree closer to his example.

The printer then cuts out the designs from the large sheets of wood, metal, and other materials inserted in the printer and engraves them. The average time for making a customized wooden keychain ornament is five minutes.

With the laser engraver the school will be able to create customized promotional materials for various competitions, Feck said, and show the students how they can monetize their art. It will also help them unleash their creativity and creative thinking, he said.

Hands-on creative learning

Aubrie Kimmel, 14, was the first in her class to come up with a key chain ornament design. Drawing a Christmas tree on a sheet of paper only took her a few minutes, and her design was ready to go to the printer.

Kimmel said she was excited about the new equipment and material, as it once again showed her how exciting creating art could be when she was already on the verge of signing out of the class.

Aubrie Kimmel shows her ornament that had just been removed from the printer.
Aubrie Kimmel shows her ornament that had just been removed from the printer.

Kimmel also found art useful for her prospective career. She said that she plans to work in education in the future, and there will always be a place for applying art in the classroom.

Other students were also enthusiastic about the class and the new experience application in the future. Carter Bierce, 16, said he liked the laser because it allows to make new designs. Madyson McCarty, 14, as Bierce said she might engage in doing art “down the road.”

Lilian Engelhorn, 14, who was developing a complex game character to be turned into a magnet said she liked the class because it showed her ways of monetizing her art that she was going to choose as her career in the future.

Addie Weber, 14, who came up with a gnome to put on her Christmas tree at home, said she was planning to be an art teacher in the future, and for that reason she was excited about the new equipment.

Producing the tree ornament designed by Aubrie Kimmel. The laser engraver printer burns the designs while at the same time engraving them. The first design of a pumpkin monster (left) was made by Feck as an example for the students.
Producing the tree ornament designed by Aubrie Kimmel. The laser engraver printer burns the designs while at the same time engraving them. The first design of a pumpkin monster (left) was made by Feck as an example for the students.

Elijah Williams, 15, said he came up with a lot of doodles for the laser printer, and he liked the art class because he enjoys art. Williams said while he was not sure of choosing art as a career, it would definitely be one of his persistent hobbies throughout life.

This article originally appeared on Bucyrus Telegraph-Forum: Bucyrus City Schools purchased laser engraver, art equipment