Lauren Kimura
Green Tech's LED sign, welcoming all students to room 115.
From eco-friendly technologies to maneuvering through advanced machinery, teacher Matthew Bidwell’s Green Tech class prepares students to keep up with the rapidly changing world. This new class encourages Centurions to get involved and develop the skills of tomorrow.
Cypress High School’s Green Tech course allows students to explore engineering and gain a better understanding of environmental innovation. With a curriculum strong in hands-on activities, students get to design, develop, and use a wide range of tools and machinery. This program is currently in its second year at Cypress, and Bidwell is eager to add new equipment every year. He stresses the importance of exposing students to the many manufacturing and design processes they’ll inevitably encounter throughout life. Bidwell noted, “The world is changing so fast that students need to learn how to interact with machinery that involves coding and computer-aided design… because if you’re not adaptable in a world that’s changing so fast, you get lost.” He emphasized the fast-moving nature of technology and the importance of keeping up.
In Green Tech, students’ creativity and innovation are constantly being challenged as they get the opportunity to create things of their own. One of the programs students learn to use is computer-aided design, or CAD, which allows students to draft and develop their own creations. The software provides visual representations for their designs, which they can then modify and refine. “We’ve done a lot of designing on CAD software like TinkerCAD and Onshape, and then we learned how to make a circuit, 3d print, and laser cut,” Junior Juie Date explained, demonstrating both digital design and hands-on composition, which fosters creative problem-solving. Date’s most notable creation is her Curious George keychain which utilized the laser cutter. Similar to Date, other students take pride in their creations, such as Danielle Gaceta, who 3D printed a name keychain for her sister. “It’s good to know about software, and it’s really helpful if you’re going into a creative field,” Gaceta stated, highlighting how the class gives students opportunities to explore creative freedom and witness their own designs come to life.
Although Green Tech requires complex processes and mechanisms, the course isn’t inherently difficult. Students describe it as easy, fun, and especially rewarding for those with a passion for engineering. According to Junior Rachelle Elassal, Green Tech is the perfect class “if you’re thinking about taking a type of engineering or something in that field in the future.” It is also strong in environmental awareness for those interested in preserving nature. The class emphasizes the importance of resourcefulness and efficiency, making students like William Hoang more aware of how their actions affect the world. Hoang noticed that, “The things we do give me a perspective of how we should use materials the least… but also how we affect the environment.” By having students create things themselves, they gain a deeper understanding of how there are ways to balance the need for technology with the importance of protecting our environment.
Students looking to satisfy a science requirement or CTE pathway are encouraged to take Green Tech 1 and 2. Returning students like Shreya Singhi enter Green Tech 2 equipped with all the knowledge necessary to take their skills even farther. With more experience and practice, they get the opportunity to deepen their understanding of what they’re making, how they’re going to design it, and why they are creating it. Singhi stated that, “Mr. Bidwell tries hard to make us aware of what’s going on in the world, not so much that we’re scared of it but more so that it inspires us to do something about it.” Classes like Green Tech empower students with practical skills and insight to humanity’s environmental impact, putting the power of change in the hands of Centurions.