Damir Ara Online Portfolio

NORTH CENTER

Albert G. Lane Technical High School

The digital-manufacturing revolution is transforming the way things are made, from aerospace components to consumer products, with 3D printing and desktop prototyping placing more power than ever in the hands of individual “makers.” The faculty at Lane Tech wants its graduates to be ready to ride that wave.

In 2013, Lane became the first CPS school with a maker lab. Students use tools such as laser cutters, design software, and 3D printers to design and create functional objects, from musical instruments to skateboards. The assistant principal, Damir Ara, says that Lane hopes to bring nanotechnology and aerospace dynamics into the lab curriculum in a few years. And to diversify a traditionally male-dominated field, the school began recruiting female computer science teachers. Now girls make up nearly 25 percent of Lane Tech students taking elective computer science, nearly double the level in 2014.

Overall, a broader range of students are excelling in the STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts, and mathematics) areas. What’s more, in the last three years, says Ara, ACT science scores at Lane reflected the type of growth normally seen over the span of eight to 10 years. “The typical gain would be 0.1. We jumped nearly two full points.” 

Read the full article:
http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/September-2016/Best-Public-Schools/Innovators/