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Four McDowell County schools opened West Virginia's first Cal Ripken STEM centers

Bradshaw, Iaeger, Coalfield, and Southside K-8 received centers with 3D printers, robots, and circuit kits from the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and TC Energy, the first in the state.

Verified · Source: WVVAOct 12, 2026 · 1 min read
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A white Prusa i3 3D printer with a spool of filament on a desk
Illustrative photo of a Prusa i3 3D printer. This is not equipment at the McDowell County schools. John Rood / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0

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Bradshaw Elementary, Iaeger Elementary, Coalfield Elementary, and Southside K-8 now have STEM centers, the first of their kind in West Virginia from the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and TC Energy. WVVA reported on Oct. 12 that the rooms come with 3D printers, robots, and circuit kits.

Assistant superintendent Amanda Peyton told the station that students are already using the equipment, including small robots and circuit work, in a county where museums and science exhibits are scarce. The foundation is also looking at a robotics program for the county's secondary schools. The centers are open. They are a start, not a finished pipeline to a job.

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