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Hello from the Wright Technical Center, Buffalo, Mn

M

mnbeef

New Member
Hello,
My Name is Mike McLain. I am a high school art teacher (10yrs) who just this year was hired at the Wright Technical Center to teach a graphic design tech ed high school class. The former graphic design program was a highly reputable program with the surrounding community. Using 2 off-set presses, a Heidelberg press and screen printing operations. The program has been on a 5 year hiatus and I am just now offering it to the surrounding high school students as a way to take a Tech Ed class and earn college credit at the same time. A few of my problems that I am currently having to deal with: 11 year old emac computers, adobe cs2, very limited budget ($5000) considering the upgrades we need. I'm working on writing grants that will help with funding but these are not a given. My wants: New PC computers (PC due to lower cost), CS6, Digital printer (production quality), possible printer for vinyl decal/sign production.

If you have any suggestions about hardware, software, other needs/wants, ways to acquire graphic design equipment for schools at a discount it would be very appreciated.

Thanks for the help, opinions and suggested are very welcome.

Mike McLain
 
S

stusatwork

New Member
Suggestion

Definitely build the computers. Or have another part of the Technical School build them. Software licenses can be obtained very cheaply for educational use so the OS and Adobe products shouldnt be too much cost wise.

The computers themselves. This took a little thought but If you build AMD APU Pc's then you will have just enough graphics oooomph from the built in GPU to do alot of 3D and graphics apps. I use Sketchup and play games on mine and I managed to build it for $240. I am sure with a little research, quanitity orders, and any education discounts available you might get that down to $200.

Equipment is gonna be tough. A new production style printer is 10K +. Definitely get a plotter and associated cutting software though. These many times can be had fairly inexpensively but do your homework on the brand. There is a lot of random "JUNK" out there right now trying to take advantage of the uninformed. 54" plotter would be ideal as this is what many of these kids will first run into working in the printing world.

For the printer I would get creative. Maybe hit up every sign company in town to find out if they are planning an upgrade in the near future. Maybe they could "donate" thier old one for a tax writeoff? Or maybe they have an old one in mothballs and find a tech that maybe could donate ther labor to get it back producing.
 
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