Local school to add ‘Fab Lab’ this fall

HERMITAGE, Pa. (WKBN) – With enrollment in grades 7 through 12 at just around 100, administrators with Kennedy Catholic High School in Hermitage are looking to add something new when classes start up again in the fall.

“I’m hoping to open up a whole new pathway for them in the business field, the manufacturing field,” said Karen Ionta, president of Kennedy Catholic Schools.

The ribbon was cut for a new location for Valley Fab Lab, which will utilize several classrooms in the school to offer students and community members hands-on small business experience as well as state-of-the-art manufacturing techniques.

“These are the beginning steps. This is to get used to it, to be comfortable with it, know how to use technology for a career path,” said Maggie Horne, with Gannon University.

This is a joint effort between the school and Gannon University’s Small Business Development Center, which is moving from a previous location in Sharon.

Students can learn skills in sign-making and silkscreening as well as embroidery and woodworking. Even 3D printing will be available. Organizers say the idea is to show that high-tech is more than playing games on cell phones and computers.

“They know how to do that, so to be able to use it to be creative, to produce things, to be innovative that is really what the Fab Lab is all about,” Horne said.

Students will then be able to combine the skills they learn with business classes to pick up college credit while also being able to potentially sell some of the merchandise they make in a new school store.

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