Ribbon cutting celebrates student projects

With summer just getting underway, two groups of MPS students celebrated the completion of architecture and engineering projects through the NAF program. At Metcalfe Park on Milwaukee’s north side, scholars hosted a ribbon cutting to officially dedicate two shade and rainwater collecting stations and a renewable power station. The projects were designed and constructed by students in the NAF Future Ready Scholars architecture and engineering programs.

In June, students in the architecture and engineering tracks spent a week together living on the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) campus. They experienced a campus tour, career planning, team building, field trips, and leadership events, and learned about public spaces and environmental impact. The group spent time designing and planning the power station and rainwater collecting stations to be installed in Metcalfe Park. The students in the architecture track then spent an additional three weeks building the stations. In early July, the group celebrated the completion of their projects with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

Through the NAF program, students select one of seven tracks—audio/video technology, education, engineering, finance, health sciences, hospitality & tourism, or information technology—and participate in specific coursework to earn NAF Certification. The pathways allow students to gain hands-on, in-depth experience in the field of their choice. NAF is currently available at only eight schools across Wisconsin, all of which are in Milwaukee Public Schools— Bay View, MacDowell Montessori, Madison, Marshall, North Division, South Division, Reagan, and Washington high schools.

The newly completed projects were made possible by the NAF Future Ready Scholars program in partnership with UWM, including campers from UWM's summer EnQuest Program. The endeavor is a new collaboration among NAF, MPS, the MPS Foundation, MATC, the UWM School of Architecture & Urban Planning, the UWM College of Engineering & Applied Science, Journey House, and All Hands Boatworks.