By Samantha Posa

At Granada Hills Charter (GHC), STEM classes offer a curriculum designed to teach students about the different fields in the science world. Intro to Engineering is a STEM class that focuses on teaching students the foundations of engineering. Located in the large classroom of K1, students spend an hour each day engaging in designing contraptions and rebuilding mechanisms to solve problems. Aside from the mechanical work, students also incorporate business into their assignments, simultaneously developing technical abilities necessary to thrive in the engineering field.

For their most recent project, students had to improve the design of an existing pig-themed flashlight to increase its success as a potential product. Using customer feedback, students adjusted many features of the flashlight from the design to its functionality, adding their own creative touches. Groups even had the opportunity to edit the product names to increase marketability.

Once all teams had completed their projects, each team created their own sales pitch presentation to promote their new and improved flashlight to judges, a concept similar to the hit show “Shark Tank,” where business owners present their product to investors to receive financial backing to further their company.

“This project helped us learn how to work with a team,” junior Nathan Soliz said. “We learned to not just engage with our own personal interests, but also to benefit our potential customers. The project was about benefiting people, not just making a profit.”

Judges composed of administrators and teachers from several departments voted on the group that made the best prototype. Soliz’s group presented their version of the light, named the Silent Swine.

The group’s product received favorable reactions from judges, earning them the title of the winning team for their period.

“Our group was determined to not step away from the original design, but rather to strengthen it,” Soliz said.

The integration of real life business situations has allowed for the reinforcement of important qualities inside and outside of the classroom, such as marketing and public speaking skills. Such business-oriented skills are just as important as being able to construct tools and machines.

“I worked as an engineer at a private company for ten years,” engineering teacher Diego Martinez said. “During my time at the company, I saw a lot of hard-working and passionate people. I had a lot of watershed moment there with my previous co-workers, especially when we solved a difficult challenge. I see the same things with my students. They feel an overwhelming sense of accomplishment, pride, and that great feeling of a job well done. Quite simply, it is a wonderful feeling for all.”

Intro to Engineering’s versatility in its teachings expand even beyond advertising machines, but engineered products of all kinds.

“In our engineering class, we’re often creating a product for certain demographics of people to give students real world simulations,” junior Sebastian Halaby said. “Our next project in the class is to make coffee. We’re starting with a coffee from a company known for making strong coffee. Our goal is to create a lighter roast to broaden their customer base. We’re looking at the molecule size, which is the size of the powder, and the temperature of the brew.”

By expanding the minds of its students through exposure to all sorts of engineering’s facets, the Intro to Engineering class serves as an interesting course perfect for the innovative.