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Project Manager: Andrea Zampitella
School: WHS
Type of Grant: Education
Target Grade: 9-12
Curriculum: Art/Library
Start Date: Fall 2026
The WHS Art Department and the school Makerspace (CTC) work hand in hand to give students opportunities that bridge creativity and innovation. By collaborating on shared projects, students see how artistic expression and technical problem-solving complement one another. An idea that begins as a sketch in an art class can be developed into a tangible prototype in the Makerspace, allowing students to explore the full design process from concept to creation.
Tools such as the xTool P3 and the xTool Screen Printer allow students to experiment with multiple media and techniques. A sample project might include hand-drawn elements, laser-cut structures, printed graphics, and engineered mechanisms. This blending of art and technology helps students recognize that creativity is not confined to one discipline but instead thrives when different fields intersect.
The addition of the P3 and the xTool Screen Printer will allow students to laser cut and engrave a wide variety of materials. It supports over 1,000 materials, ranging from soft and flexible options like paper, vinyl, and leather to harder ones such as wood, acrylic, metal, and glass. These tools can be used on both 2D and 3D surfaces and objects, expanding the glass curriculum pioneered by former WFEE grant recipient Paul Hackett.
Students can turn ideas into physical objects—designing, engraving, cutting, and screen printing. This will expand access for students both in and outside the classroom as they solve visual problems and construct project-based assessments. The intelligent automation features will assist students in differentiation, making many processes and techniques accessible and adaptable to learners with a wide range of abilities.
Ultimately, the partnership between the Art Department and the CTC Makerspace fosters a community where innovation, imagination, and collaboration flourish. Students learn that art and technology are not separate paths but complementary ones.
Having an xTool P3 and screen printer station in the CTC will allow students to engage in engineering design processes, explore manufacturing and production methods, experiment with materials, and revise prototypes. This supports Massachusetts STE standards, which expect students to design solutions and use technology and tools.
These resources will inspire independent learning and creative ownership and are applicable across both core and specialized classes. For example, a student in woodshop could use the tool for cutting and engraving wood; ceramics students could laser cut designs into bowls and vases; culinary students could print designs directly onto cookies and pastries; and photography students could transfer images into screen prints or onto fabrics. English classes could combine text and textiles, and many other creative applications are possible.
These tools will also help students orient their work toward real community, cultural, environmental, and business needs. This might include designing props and signage for the school play, creating displays and installations, or producing public art projects.
Finally, the addition of these tools will promote cross-curricular collaboration between multiple disciplines—including Technology, Engineering, and Art—as well as other fields such as Mathematics, Literature, and Entrepreneurship.
By the end of the school year, we hope to pilot the integration of these tools across all elective departments. We will build interdisciplinary collaborations between the Library and the Fine and Applied Arts departments. In the long term, we will support students and teachers in integrating these tools into their curriculum. We will continue to develop curriculum across departments and demonstrate the wide
variety of applications for which these tools can be used.
This will allow teachers to provide more choice and amplify student voice. Throughout their time at Winchester High School, we hope that hundreds of students will have the opportunity to use these tools to express their ideas and further personalize project-based solutions. These tools will create individual pathways to success for students with a variety of learning styles.
I will prepare and set up the P3 and Screen Printing Studio in the CTC. All participating students will receive an introduction to the digital tools, machine operations, and safety requirements. I will work directly with classroom teachers to demonstrate the wide range of capabilities of the P3 and explore ways to integrate the tools into the curriculum. Students with project ideas can utilize the P3 during class time or during library hours.
I see this tool as a bridge that can connect multiple disciplines and reach a wide range of students The versatility of the P3 will open up opportunities for cross-media experimentation.
This project represents an innovative approach to blending art, design, and engineering by placing professional-grade digital fabrication and printmaking tools directly in students’ hands. Traditionally, students might experience these processes separately: art in one classroom and engineering in another.
By combining the xTool P3 and the screen printer within a shared Makerspace, we provide students with the opportunity to see how creativity and technical problem-solving naturally intersect. This integrated approach encourages design thinking, prototyping, and cross-media experimentation—skills that are critical in both higher education and the 21st-century workforce.
Total: $10,168
