Eaton RESA Awarded $116,917 Grant to Expand K-12 Mobile Labs
Charlotte, MI — Eaton Regional Education Service Agency (RESA) has been awarded a $116,917 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO) MiSTEM Network to expand hands-on STEM experiences for K-12 students across the county.
The funding, which is part of the MEDC Talent Action Team (TAT)-championed PreK-12 Strategic Investments in STEM Career Exposure initiative, will enhance Eaton RESA’s Mobile Fabrication Lab and Mobile Garage Lab, bringing advanced technology and real-world industry applications directly to local elementary and middle schools. The goal is to immerse students in Michigan’s high-demand career sectors, including electric vehicle (EV) and mobility, semiconductor manufacturing, and other STEM-focused industries.
“This grant allows us to meet students where they are and open doors to future careers in Michigan’s fastest-growing industries,” said Vlad Lebedintsev, Assistant Superintendent for Career and Technical Education at Eaton RESA. “Our mobile labs turn curiosity into confidence,” Lebedintsev added. “By introducing younger learners to EV, semiconductor, and robotics technologies, we’re helping build Michigan’s future workforce with students who understand that innovation starts in their own community.”
The Mobile Labs travel to every local school district in Eaton County, providing equitable access to interactive learning opportunities that are often unavailable in traditional classroom settings. The enhancements funded through this grant include:
- Augmented reality welding systems to safely teach core skills;
- 3D scanners and printers to model, design, and prototype products;
- Hybrid and electric vehicle system trainers to explore mobility and green-energy technology;
- Quadruped “robot dog” systems to introduce robotics and AI programming; and
- Career Tree visuals and STEM-related children’s books to connect hands-on learning with real-world career pathways.
The Eaton RESA team partners with local educators and industry volunteers to ensure students experience authentic, project-based learning aligned with Michigan’s MiSTEM strategy and “3P” learning approach of place-, project-, and problem-based instruction.
““These tools do more than build skills, they empower students to explore and create,” added Sara Jobson, Career Pathway Specialist. “It’s amazing to see their faces light up when they make that connection. "Whether it's through welding, programming or utilizing simulators, students are discovering new possibilities for their future."
Launched three years ago, the MEDC Talent Action Team is the nation’s first public-private statewide talent coalition created to specifically address talent gaps in key advanced manufacturing sectors.
MEDC’s TAT brings together leading employers, workforce agencies, and educational institutions to identify skills needs of high-demand industries and strategically invest in skills building across the education continuum. Together, they’re delivering smarter, faster talent solutions for Michigan’s world-class companies’ needs today and in the future. Since Oct. 1, 2023, the TAT has engaged more than 27,600 Michigan PreK-12 students in career exploration through digital curriculum development, access to STEM summer learning programs, teacher training on semiconductor design and more that align with the stated needs of TAT employers and industry partners.
The MEDC’s Strategic Investments in PreK-12 STEM Career Exposure grants are aimed at introducing career awareness lessons and building fundamental skills needed for a career in advanced manufacturing.
Since 2024, the grant program has awarded $3.5 million to 14 education and employer partners in 24 counties across Michigan by leveraging MiSTEM’s Network and statewide STEM strategy. These grants fund locally designed programming for elementary-age children and middle schoolers, helping them to understand the variety of career paths available in advanced technology, such as careers in semiconductors, mobility, and aerospace. By incorporating interactive and age-appropriate activities, these lessons can spark early interest and provide a skills-based foundation for more specialized learning in high school and beyond.
“This investment is a unique and powerful partnership with state government, private industry and education leaders all rowing in the same direction to put into hyper-drive the opportunities Eaton RESA is making available to students to pursue careers in this vital segment of our state and national economy,” said MEDC Director of Strategic Talent Initiatives Spencer Lucker. “We have proven over generations that we create some of the world’s best and brightest engineers and technicians right here in Michigan, and MEDC is proud to make this investment to continue that tradition with Eaton RESA.”
Eaton RESA provides programming and services for early childhood, general education, special education, career and technical education and adult education. To learn more about Eaton RESA, visit our website (www.eatonresa.org). To learn more about career pathways visit the Career Development Services section. Eaton RESA can also be followed in Facebook, Instagram and Linked In.
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