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MATTOON, Ill. (WAND) - Class is officially in session at LIFT in Mattoon.
LIFT is a regional innovation and technology center available to high school juniors and seniors throughout central Illinois. The program has invited students from 28 schools throughout central Illinois to give them the opportunity to connect with different careers and programs. Students have the opportunity to earn dual credit, certifications, internships, work-based experiences, industry credentials and leadership skills for their future careers.
"We are preparing them for their next steps after graduation. Whether that is straight into the workforce with credentials/certifications or the next step in advanced programming for trade school, junior college or 4-year university," said Director Mclain Schaefer.
Students have the opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in 7 different career paths. Those include: childcare, communications, culinary arts, HVAC/green energy, information technology, leadership institute and manufacturing, architecture and construction. There are 105 students enrolled in the Fall 2022 semester.
Schaefer told WAND News LIFT was a vision for decades, but it came to life during the COVID pandemic. The building on South 17th Street in Mattoon once owned by Consolidated Communications became vacant. The company approached Mattoon School leaders and brought their dream of LIFT to reality.
LIFT has incorporated various schools and businesses into it's plan. Schaefer said leaders looked at various schools and programs in Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Iowa and Ohio to get an understanding of how to plan and develop LIFT. They wanted to provide the best opportunity for students and the community. With the help of state and federal grants and the community, LIFT was able to move into the South 17th Street space and open in 8 months.
"In order to make LIFT happen there has been a lot of finger prints and hands on it."
In August, Pilson Automotive Center donated $73,714 to purchase a Switch Electric Vehicle full size kit. The Switch Labs "Switch" Electric vehicle kit is a complete, reusable kit that allows students to engage in every aspect of electric vehicle theory, construction, maintenance, and practical operation.
"You can watch Youtube videos and read textbooks all day, but until we go out and we put our wrenches on things, that's when we are really starting to understand how things work," said Dan Compton, Program Facilitator at LIFT.
In addition to the EV, Mattoon CUSD2 Board of Education recently accepted a grant from the Lumpkin Family Foundation for a Green Energy Project. The grant will allow for a solar canopy over the LIFT parking lot and will also include electric vehicle charging stations. The grant award total is $492,974.60 - the largest grant the foundation has awarded this year.
"LIFT was designed to develop innovative leaders, and we are thrilled to have the Lumpkin Foundation's support with that vision, specifically in the expansion of a Green Energy Project. While these projects provide immediate energy solutions to the community and our LIFT facility, the long-term win is exposing students to technology and renewable energy concepts that will enable them to lead innovations for the future," stated Assistant Superintendent for Student Services Dr. Christy Hild.
While students are gaining hands-on skills, facilitators believe the students who walk into LIFT also gain personal and relationship-building skills. Since LIFT invites students from 28 different schools, often times students won't know everyone in their program. Dan Compton said he saw it first hand during his program when he witnessed 6 students from 3 different schools talking about recent Friday football games they attended.
"Not only are we getting this awesome hands-on experience, but we are building these relationships across communities that are sometimes rivals," he shared.
For students, it's a chance to explore various career opportunities. Jack Kelly, a senior at Tuscola High School, told WAND News he saw LIFT and thought it would be a cool opportunity to get a kick start on his future career in construction.
"The whole idea of there are 7 floors with unique and different career paths sounds interesting to me."
While Kelly has an idea of what his future holds, Mattoon Senior Lincoln Scott and Shiloh Junior Briana Reese feel LIFT will give them a chance to learn more about possible careers. Reese told WAND News she isn't sure of the avenue she wants to take after graduation. She's torn between Criminology and Social Media Marketing, but regardless, she's just glad to be part of LIFT to gain various skills that will help her in the future.
"This is a new generation of people that are coming in and learning," she shared. "LIFE is a big impact on Mattoon and other schools around. We need to be proud about it and we need to share how proud we are to have this opportunity."
Any interested juniors or seniors will need to talk with their guidance counselor before signing up. Those interested should click here. Registration for Spring 2023 will begin soon.
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