Marine Travelift Wins Manufacturing Innovation Award for Creating STEM Course

Congratulations to Marine Travelift and its affiliates for creating an award-winning, hands-on, six-week STEM course for students at the Boys & Girls Club of Door County (BGCDC). Marine Travelift was awarded the 2017 Manufacturing Innovation award from the NEW Manufacturing Alliance at its sixth annual Excellence in Manufacturing & K-12 Partnerships Awards dinner, held Oct. 25 at the KI Convention Center in Green Bay. The awards recognize educators and manufacturers who work together to make a difference in children’s lives. Door County Economic Development Corporation nominated Marine Travelift and its affiliates for the award.

Beginning in January 2017, company professionals from Marine Travelift, Shuttlelift and Exactech spent nearly 50 hours planning curriculum for a uniquely tailored Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) course for the fourth and fifth grade students at the Boys & Girls Club. The students met at the Club after school once a week with senior employees of Marine Travelift and its affiliates, learning physics concepts normally taught in high school (levers, fulcrums, pullies, etc.).

“We are excited that Marine Travelift was honored,” said Julie Davis, BGCDC executive director. “Erich [Pfeifer, Marine Travelift CEO and president] immediately saw value in investing in kids that may stay in our community post-graduation. He realized that making a connection to interests at an early age increases the likelihood that these kids will participate in high school pathways leading to manufacturing.”

The Boys & Girls Club has more plans for future workforce education projects.

“Not only are we bringing Marine Travelift back, we look forward to partnering with Bay Shipbuilding this year with a drafting program where the kids will get to design and build a model boat, test it and then see drafting at Bay Shipbuilding,” said Davis.

For more information about the NEW Manufacturing Alliance awards, visit newmfgalliance.org.