Detroit schools get $1.8M boost for advanced STEM labs with 3D printers and robotics

A partnership between the Public Education Foundation and Volkswagen Group of America has invested $1.8 million to create 13 new “eSTEM” labs across two suburban Detroit school districts. The initiative equips Birmingham and Southfield Public Schools with advanced technology including 3D printers, laser cutters, and robotics systems, providing students hands-on experience with tools that previously would have cost individual schools up to $400,000 to implement.

What you should know: The eSTEM labs focus specifically on environmental sustainability projects while teaching essential STEM skills.

• Birmingham Public Schools will receive nine labs, while Southfield Public Schools gets four.
• Each lab contains approximately $70,000 worth of equipment.
• The “e” in eSTEM designates projects aimed at environmental sustainability.
• Students are already creating projects like cardboard tipis while learning about Native American culture.

Why this matters: The investment addresses a critical gap in STEM education access, giving elementary students exposure to advanced manufacturing technology that even college engineering students historically lacked.

• Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist II noted that as a college engineering student, he had limited access to the kinds of technology these K-12 students now have available.
• The early exposure aims to develop both future engineers and citizens who understand engineering applications to real-world problems.

The big picture: This represents a strategic expansion for the Tennessee-based Public Education Foundation, which is branching out from its home state to address STEM education needs in Metro Detroit.

• Principal Jason Pesamoska had envisioned such a lab but found the $400,000 cost prohibitive for individual school fundraising.
• The partnership model makes advanced STEM education accessible to districts that couldn’t otherwise afford it.

What they’re saying: Leaders emphasize the labs’ potential to accelerate student innovation and career preparation.

• “These are not inventions that are going to come when they become adults. There are going to be kids who are going to invent community-changing things before they leave this program,” Gilchrist said.
• Mario Duarte from Volkswagen Group of America explained their philosophy: “Innovation starts with ideas. That’s why we sponsor programs like this one, programs that provide young learners, tools and experiences so that they can turn their curiosity into capability.”
• Southfield Superintendent Jennifer Green reported that a first grader already expressed interest in becoming a graphic designer after working in the lab.

Key details: The labs transform outdated computer rooms into cutting-edge maker spaces that integrate with classroom learning.

• West Maple Elementary’s lab replaced a computer lab that became obsolete as schools invested in individual laptops.
• Projects connect directly to curriculum, like students creating cardboard structures while studying Native American culture.
• The hands-on approach makes learning “more fun and more impactful,” according to Green.