Experts Help SPX Engineering Thrive

The engineering program at St. Pius X High School thrives on its engineering lab modeled on a sister lab at Stanford University. Key to its success is parent volunteer Max Barela, an equipment technician at Intel.
 
“This lab is important to me because it teaches our kids skills that reinforce what is being taught in the classroom,” Barela says. “It’s the application to the theory and I believe it completes the learning process.”
 
Barela has secured the lab various pieces of equipment from Intel, including the vertical mill used everyday.
 
“However the best thing he has done for us is volunteer his time,” says SPX engineering teacher Larry Sanchez. “He has given well over 100 hours since the lab came on line, helping the kids run the equipment and with their SolidWorks programming. I remember when we had consultants come in to help us in business, that service cost hundreds of dollars per hour. His volunteer help has been invaluable to me and the lab in making the lab a success.”
 
Students flocking to the engineering class use hands-on design-and-build assignments to learn welding, plasma cutting, and smelting and to operate mini lathes, a laser cutter, a vertical milling machine and 3D printers, both filament and resin. Sanchez and Barela also met in January to set up the SolidWorks Certification process, which will give students basic certification in the computer-aided engineering design software used by universities and professional engineers.
 
“I also feel that our kids don’t have enough exposure to the trades anymore,” Barela says. “Our kids don’t know how to use a hammer, a saw or even a screwdriver! This lab gives them the opportunity to get their hands a little dirty and learn some of these humble skills and much more. Again, I believe having the engineering lab helps complete the learning process and will makes our future engineers, doctors and designers better prepared.”
 
Barela is the father of St. Pius X senior Levi Barela, sophomore Katrina Barela and freshman Elijah Barela.