ST. PARIS – On Friday, Oct. 21, Graham Middle School students participated in “Manufacturing Day.”

Students in each grade level rotated to stations in which they learned about the variety in the manufacturing field. Many of the stations were led by external facilitators from local business and industry.

The following companies, many of which had Graham alumni presenting, were represented on the day:

Elite Enclosures, IPL (formerly Tech ll), Valco Industries, Rosewood Machine & Tool, Winans, FMI – Fire & Marine, Breezy Bombers, Bushel & A Peck, Sutphen, and KTH. Outside of external presenters, GMS staff facilitated multiple stations, some video based and others hands on, through the Wright Patterson Educational Outreach Office, or self created stations that exposed students to real world applications and the idea of assembly lines and efficiency.

Graham Middle School Principal Nick Guidera shared that this event is “not new to GMS, but it is our first in years due to COVID regulations. We were incredibly excited to bring in local business and industry reps to share.”

An additional notable item was that GMS had a high school student, Brezlyn Reneer, here to share about her entrepreneurial spirit with manufacturing fishing lures based on her passion.

Graham Middle School also had several visitors from the Madison Champaign County Educational Service Center on hand to learn from the event.

“What an honor to be a part of Manufacturing Day! Not only were businesses presenting what it takes to work in manufacturing, but students had hands-on opportunities to simulate an assembly line and production. Great things are happening at Graham!” said Christina Flowers, Business School Liaison for Champaign County.

GMS plans to continue this event annually and looks forward to growing more relationships with local business and industry reps.