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Goal

This initiative establishes a rigorous Career and Technical Education (CTE) fabrication unit directly aligned with two state-recognized career pathways: Arts, A/V Technology & Communications (Visual/Industrial Design) and Engineering & Technology (Lighting Systems and Rapid Prototyping). Over the course of the 2026–2027 school year, the project will directly impact 120 students across two distinct cohorts (Fall/Semester 1; Spring/Semester 2).
Rather than treating design as purely aesthetic, this project positions students as industrial design technicians, electrical assemblers, and exhibition production managers. Students utilize historical Japanese paper craft (Washi / rice paper joinery) as a technical case study in sustainable structural engineering and material tension. Combining traditional joinery with modern lighting options and structural armature design, students complete an end-to-end CTE product lifecycle.

Primary CTE Objectives & Technical Learning Gains:
Structural Engineering & Load Calculations: Students will build custom 3D armatures using flexible netting and, wire, calculating tensile strength and surface-area-to-weight ratios to support paper skinning without structural collapse.
Technical Drafting & Blueprint Proficiency: Students will transform 2D vector schematics into fully realized 3D physical prototypes scaled for public installation environments.
Exhibition Production & Workflow Logistics: Students will operate in specialized CTE project roles (Project Manager, Electrical Systems Lead, Materials Specialist, Safety Inspector) to execute a large-scale, professional public exhibition installation.
Alignment to School Improvement Plan (SIP):
This proposal directly advances SIP targets focused on Workforce Readiness, Applied STEM/CTE Integration, and Post-Secondary Career Pathway Development. By embedding industry-standard quality assurance processes, peer-led safety inspections, and client-style design briefs, the initiative bridges academic coursework with real-world technical trades and engineering careers.
 

 

Category

CTE Focused -  

 

What will be done with my students

Project Activity Stages (Executed in both Semester 1 and Semester 2):

Phase 1: Trade Skills Lab & Electrical Safety (Weeks 1–3): Students receive hands-on instruction in electrical theory, wire gauge selection, power source safety, and structural material behavior under tension.

Phase 2: Schematics & Structural Prototyping (Weeks 4–7): Working in technical teams of four, students establish a scale blueprint. They fabricate skeletal 3D frameworks using flexible netting and wire, ensuring structural integrity while maintaining light diffusion parameters.

Phase 3: Material Skinning & Systems Integration (Weeks 8–11): Teams skin their frameworks using translucent Japanese rice paper (Washi) and adhesive sizing, testing light output, diffusion uniformity, and seam tension. Electrical leads and fixtures are secured within the housing following rigid quality-control protocols.

Phase 4: Venue Rigging, Logistics & Public Event Production (Weeks 12–14): Students design the mounting, spatial layout, and lighting distribution for a high-impact, interactive community exhibition.

September 2026: Procurement of reusable CTE shop tools & raw materials.
Oct - Nov 2026: Technical drafting, structural lab.
DECEMBER 2026: EVENT 1: Winter Public Lantern Exhibition.

January 2027: Onboarding Cohort 2; shop safety orientation.
Feb - March 2027: Structural framing, lighting & translucent skinning.
APRIL / MAY 2027: EVENT 2: Spring Expo.


 

 

Benefits to my Students

Modern workforce data highlights a significant skills gap in technical fields requiring a blend of physical prototyping, creative problem-solving, and trade craft. While standard classroom instruction often separates theoretical science from practical application, CTE hands-on projects synthesize engineering, design, and physical trade work.
Access to specialized electrical consumables, precision hand tools, and structural materials is currently lacking. Grant funding will fill this gap by providing professional-grade supplies that give students realistic, job-site experience in prototyping and lighting/electrical design.
 

 

Budget Narrative

These supplies support the Luminaria Project by directly enabling End-to-End Product Lifecycles: Instead of abstract design assignments, these supplies allow students to take a project from initial 2D vector schematics to physical 3D structural prototypes, lighting options, quality assurance, and venue installation.

Critical Materials Gap: High-grade structural paper, trade tools, and electrical components are essential for authentic trade experiences but are beyond typical classroom consumables budgets. Grant funding directly supplies these professional materials.

Supports Dual-Cohort Tool Reusability: Precision hand tools, safety gear, and electrical power units purchased with this grant will be reused during Semester 2 (Spring 2027) and in future academic years, maximizing the long-term impact of the $1,000 allocation.

Drives Quantitative CTE Evaluation: Having standard, individual component kits ensures every student is evaluated against uniform Quality Assurance (QA) rubrics for circuit continuity, joint stability, and material precision prior to the public exhibitions in December 2026 and April/May 2027. 

 

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