Eighth-graders at Riverview Middle School in Plymouth are getting to tour the new LTC-Plymouth Science and Technology Center.

Riverview technology education teacher Beau Biller brought 55 students in November and will bring the rest of the eighth grade in January to see the new facility, located on the north end of Plymouth High School.

The public can get a look at the center during an open house set for Wednesday, Feb. 1. Watch www.plymouth.k12.wi.us for details.

The $1.2 million Science and Technology Center is the result of a joint effort between Lakeshore Technical College and Plymouth High School. A federal Economic Development Administration grant covered more than half the construction costs. The City of Plymouth also supported the collaborative effort with $250,000 in economic development funds.

The project grew out of discussions by area manufacturers about the shortage of workers trained on high-speed equipment. The center, which includes a number of manufacturing and computer laboratories, is used by PHS students during the school day and by LTC students in the evenings.

The automotive lab also will be getting a makeover, thanks to a commitment from the Van Horn Automotive Group to donate $15,000 a year for three years, in addition to an offer to share equipment and expertise.

Riverview students toured all of the technology education labs, including engineering, graphics, construction/ woods, automotive, welding and computer integrated manufacturing.

In each lab, they were able to work on a hands-on project, with help from high school students: using Autodesk Inventor in the engineering lab to model a 3D block, using the laser engraver in the graphics lab to engrave a panther emblem, participating in a nailing contest in the construction/ woods lab, removing and rotating tires on a car in the automotive lab, welding two pieces of steel in the welding lab, and observing the new CNC mills and lathe in action in the computer-integrated manufacturing lab.

The purpose of the tour is to expose Riverview students to the technology and engineering courses available at the high school and to give students a chance to meet the high school technology education teachers, Mr. Biller said.