A High School Senior’s Journey in Robotics, Manufacturing, and Engineering

November 7, 2024

Violet Piontkowski, a senior at North High School, has participated in Red Raider Robotics for four years, taken ten (10!) engineering and manufacturing courses, worked over the summer at Diverse Tooling, and created a work of art using a CNC plasma cutter!

Learn more about Violet's experience:

Student Name: Violet Piontkowski
High School: North High School
Grade:
12

What Tech Ed classes are you currently taking, or have you taken in your high school career?

  • Materials and Processes
  • Metals Fabrication
  • Advanced Metals Fabrication
  • Red Raider Manufacturing
  • Woods Production
  • Construction Trades
  • Exploring Robotics and Automation
  • Electronics, Electricity & Automation
  • Introduction to Engineering
  • Principles of Engineering

Have you taken advantage of any on-site work experience opportunities? I had a summer job at Diverse Tooling in Plymouth. The president of Diverse Tooling heard about me and my interest in machining from one of the mentors on my robotics team and offered me a job there over the summer. I learned how to use different machines and techniques and gained a lot of experience with what it’s like to work at a machine shop.

What activities are you involved in (clubs, organizations, sports)? I’ve been on the Red Raider Robotics team for the past 4 years. I am a Manufacturing Lead and CNC Specialist on the team.

What is your favorite thing about your Red Raider Manufacturing experience? I really liked learning how to use all the different machines and being able to make really cool projects. It helped me decide what I wanted to do after high school.

What are your future plans? I plan to continue working in a machine shop after I graduate, along with taking a machining course at LTC.

What project are you most proud of? I am most proud of the Jurassic Park wall art that I made using the CNC plasma cutter. I really liked this project because I got to make something for my room that was exactly what I wanted. It was also fun to make because I had to figure out how to use the plasma cutter, so getting it to work was really satisfying.

Why should a student participate in the Red Raider Manufacturing program? Because you get to learn so many skills and do so many cool projects. It’s really fun to learn all the different ways that you can make stuff out of metal and how to use all the different machines. And the stuff you make is really cool.

Last fall, Violet was the Pit Crew Leader of an all-female team at the Twist (Together, Women In STEM Thrive) Robotics Competition. The team received the Twist and Shout Award, which is given in recognition to the team with the most team spirit. Violet was also awarded the Student Inspiration Award. Coach Timothy Pasche shared, “Violet has been an integral manufacturer in each and every part of this year’s robot. If it’s on the robot, she’s probably fixed it or assembled it.”

Learn more about SASD's Red Raider Manufacturing Program here: https://www.sheboygan.k12.wi.u...

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A High School Senior’s Journey in Robotics, Manufacturing, and Engineering

November 7, 2024

Violet Piontkowski, a senior at North High School, has participated in Red Raider Robotics for four years, taken ten (10!) engineering and manufacturing courses, worked over the summer at Diverse Tooling, and created a work of art using a CNC plasma cutter!

Learn more about Violet's experience:

Student Name: Violet Piontkowski
High School: North High School
Grade:
12

What Tech Ed classes are you currently taking, or have you taken in your high school career?

  • Materials and Processes
  • Metals Fabrication
  • Advanced Metals Fabrication
  • Red Raider Manufacturing
  • Woods Production
  • Construction Trades
  • Exploring Robotics and Automation
  • Electronics, Electricity & Automation
  • Introduction to Engineering
  • Principles of Engineering

Have you taken advantage of any on-site work experience opportunities? I had a summer job at Diverse Tooling in Plymouth. The president of Diverse Tooling heard about me and my interest in machining from one of the mentors on my robotics team and offered me a job there over the summer. I learned how to use different machines and techniques and gained a lot of experience with what it’s like to work at a machine shop.

What activities are you involved in (clubs, organizations, sports)? I’ve been on the Red Raider Robotics team for the past 4 years. I am a Manufacturing Lead and CNC Specialist on the team.

What is your favorite thing about your Red Raider Manufacturing experience? I really liked learning how to use all the different machines and being able to make really cool projects. It helped me decide what I wanted to do after high school.

What are your future plans? I plan to continue working in a machine shop after I graduate, along with taking a machining course at LTC.

What project are you most proud of? I am most proud of the Jurassic Park wall art that I made using the CNC plasma cutter. I really liked this project because I got to make something for my room that was exactly what I wanted. It was also fun to make because I had to figure out how to use the plasma cutter, so getting it to work was really satisfying.

Why should a student participate in the Red Raider Manufacturing program? Because you get to learn so many skills and do so many cool projects. It’s really fun to learn all the different ways that you can make stuff out of metal and how to use all the different machines. And the stuff you make is really cool.

Last fall, Violet was the Pit Crew Leader of an all-female team at the Twist (Together, Women In STEM Thrive) Robotics Competition. The team received the Twist and Shout Award, which is given in recognition to the team with the most team spirit. Violet was also awarded the Student Inspiration Award. Coach Timothy Pasche shared, “Violet has been an integral manufacturer in each and every part of this year’s robot. If it’s on the robot, she’s probably fixed it or assembled it.”

Learn more about SASD's Red Raider Manufacturing Program here: https://www.sheboygan.k12.wi.u...

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