Diamond Bar High School, always an innovator and the first school to set up a SpyderLab® facility, received an SSP grant from the California Department of Education to write a new pathway for a digital fabrication lab.
The California Department of Education offers the Specialized Secondary Program (SSP) to provide start-up funds for the establishment of new specialized programs in grades nine through twelve in California high schools. The programs are expected to develop new standards-based model curriculums that promote an in-depth study of a targeted content area. The intent for SSP is to benefit the state economy by having schools located in close proximity to related industries provide training that will be of value to future employers.
Faculty members of Diamond Bar High School will develop a comprehensive standalone curriculum, instructional materials and methodology for the digital fabrication lab, focusing on the digital technical skills and certifications that could lead to a career opportunity in a wide range of companies and industries. As part of the goal of the SSP, the entire program could be made available to other schools in California by the Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Students will learn technical and design skills for SpyderLab components including 3D Printing, Laser Engraving, Large Format Printing and Direct-to-Garment production. The hands-on training will allow students to participate in the entire process from concept through design using PhotoShop, Illustrator and AutoCad, and ultimately production of the end products.
With 2,600 students in grades 9-12, Diamond Bar High School has a proud history of innovation and was one of the early adopters of the SpyderLab program. Graduates have gone on to university to further study digital design while others used the skills they learned to find employment with local companies including SpyderLab corporate facility in Brea, California.
