One Class at a Time: Pilot Butte Middle School’s Tech Design Program Gets a Boost

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Our One Class at a Time segment continues to spotlight outstanding educators in Central Oregon and thanks to the support of Mid Oregon Credit Union, we’re able to provide cash to help bring their projects to life.

This month, we returned to Pilot Butte Middle School, where students are diving into a unique program called Tech Design. The class introduces kids to real-world tools and processes, teaching them how to take a project from concept to completion. This week, students are launching their own brands, designing products, and even creating marketing campaigns.

Teacher Josh Beaudry says the class is about opening doors:

“We offer just a little bit of everything. We introduce kids to the type of classes they could potentially take in high school.”

For eighth grader Toby Siegel-Lawrence, the program is already making an impact:

“I’m really grateful for it. I feel like it’s something I’ve never done before.”

This month’s usual $1,000 award came with a bonus, an additional $900 from the Bend-La Pine Education Foundation. The funds will go toward purchasing modular robots, giving students hands-on opportunities to learn programming and engineering skills.