Campbell County Public Schools (CCPS) is among the first districts in Virginia to pilot stem+M, a hands-on middle school manufacturing program designed to prepare students for their future. The program officially launched at Altavista Combined School and Rustburg Middle School in January of 2025, followed by the remaining Campbell County middle schools, William Campbell Combined School and Brookville Middle School, in August of 2025. The official ribbon cutting took place at Brookville Middle School on September 23, 2025.
This pilot represents more than new equipment in classrooms. It reflects Campbell County’s commitment to providing students with early exposure to technical skills, problem-solving strategies, and career pathways that will shape their futures and strengthen America’s workforce.
Why Manufacturing Education, and Why Now?
Across the country, schools and workforce leaders are grappling with the reality of a growing skills gap. Manufacturing, construction, and infrastructure fields face a shortage of qualified workers, with thousands of positions going unfilled each year. These gaps have national implications, from slowing innovation to weakening defense readiness.
By piloting stem+M at the middle school level, Campbell County is addressing the challenge at its root. At the middle school age, students are curious, open to new experiences, and forming ideas about what they may want to pursue in high school and beyond. Introducing them to modern manufacturing in this window provides opportunities to cultivate future paths.
The stem+M program combines a 90-hour curriculum, fully equipped labs, teacher training, and turnkey implementation support in one seamless package. Schools don’t need to piece together multiple vendors, lesson plans, or equipment lists, the entire program arrives ready to launch and ready to impact students in their learning.
What Students Are Learning in Campbell County
In the new stem+M labs at Altavista and Rustburg, students are engaging in projects that connect science and math concepts to real-world applications. Instead of only reading about theories, they are building, creating, and testing those theories. The curriculum guides them through six key pathways:
- Tools + Measurement: Developing precision and process as a foundation for every technical skill.
- Engineering + Design: Applying the design process to prototypes, such as aerodynamic testing of CO2-powered dragsters.
- Additive + Subtractive Manufacturing: Learning with 3D printing and CNC machining to understand both emerging and traditional techniques.
- Materials + Processes: Experimenting with composites and material science to see how different substances perform in context.
- Automation: Programming and troubleshooting rolling robots with electronic controls.
- Structural Science: Designing bridges and other load-bearing structures to test strength and efficiency.
Every activity is designed to be tactile, collaborative, and problem-solving. Students finish each unit not only with new knowledge but with tangible artifacts (bridges, prototypes, and digital models) that demonstrate their growth.
“stem+M prepares students for problem solving, construction, manufacturing, infrastructure, things that this country desperately needs,” said Eric Hanson, stem+M Teacher at Rustburg Middle School.
Teachers See Immediate Impact
For teachers, new programs often mean added planning time and steep learning curves. stem+M was designed to eliminate those barriers. The stem education system includes everything from pacing guides and competency maps to an integrated learning management system that tracks student progress. On-site installation and professional development ensure educators feel confident from the start, while ongoing support keeps the program running smoothly
Rustburg Middle School teacher Tonya Barber shared her perspective: “This program has enhanced the way that I teach.” Other educators in the district echo similar observations. Lani Patrick, Instructional Specialist for Science at CCPS, noted: “The students are communicating in an authentic way. They’re measuring in every single unit, and I’ve never really seen a program arranged that way.”
These reflections underscore what makes stem+M unique: it empowers students while making teaching more effective and sustainable.
Campbell County’s Role in a Bigger Story
The launch in Campbell County is part of a growing national movement to align STEM education with workforce readiness. As one of the first Virginia districts to adopt the program, CCPS is helping set the standard for how middle schools can connect learning to real careers.
Dr. Carrie Curtis, Education Initiatives Workforce Lead for the U.S. Navy’s Maritime Industrial Base Program, described the program’s broader importance: “Programs like stem+M provide students with real-world, hands-on learning that not only builds critical technical skills but also inspires future careers in advanced manufacturing fields that are vital to our nation’s economic and national security.”
This national relevance is key. As jobs in modern manufacturing continue to grow, the need for early, effective career and technical education will only increase. By investing in middle school programs now, districts like Campbell County are helping to ensure a pipeline of skilled workers who are ready to meet tomorrow’s challenges.
The Ribbon Cutting on September 23
The September ribbon cutting was more than a ceremonial event. It marked a celebration of Campbell County’s leadership, its teachers’ dedication, and its students’ potential. The labs at Altavista Combined School, Rustburg Middle School, William Campbell Combined School, and Brookville Middle School are training grounds for future innovators, builders, and problem-solvers.
With this pilot, CCPS demonstrates what it looks like to build America’s workforce from the classroom up.
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stem+M is committed to advancing manufacturing education and preparing students for the opportunities of tomorrow.