Lander Students Sharpen Their Skills—and Serve the Community—With 3D Printer

Students in Lander don’t have a bevy of opportunities to learn specialized technical skills that have real-world applications—something that can be limiting as they move through the school system and begin career planning. A computer science teacher at Lander Middle School, though, hoped to change this dynamic. After seeing a metal 3D printer in action at a conference in 2022, the teacher began researching how one could be used as an enrichment tool for students. The problem, though, was that Lander Middle School didn’t have a metal 3D printer (they did have one that could print with plastic material). That’s where the LOR Foundation came in. With LOR’s help, the middle school was able to purchase a metal printer in spring 2023, which will be used to train students and ultimately create metal products that can be given to the community—a benefit that expands beyond the classroom.