Ford's Future Builders Labs Turn Third Graders into Engineers in West Tennessee
Ford's $610,000 investment brings 3D printers and laser cutters to West Tennessee schools, where elementary students are already building solar-powered weather stations.
- $610,000
- 5
- $11.7 million
- 25,000
What Happened
At Ripley Elementary School, about an hour north of Memphis, Tennessee, a new workshop is turning third through fifth graders into makers. Jonathan Holmes, a former math teacher who became the lab's director in 2025, shows off student projects like a solar-powered weather station with a near-constant smile. The lab is part of the Ford Future Builders Lab, which has invested $610,000 to create five labs at K-12 schools in West Tennessee, near Ford's BlueOval City campus.
The labs, launched last year through a partnership between Ford Philanthropy and Ford Community Relations, use hands-on experience with 21st-century equipment like 3D printers and laser cutters to teach teamwork and problem solving. Ford worked with devX to provide training and curriculum for teachers. The goal is to introduce students to career tracks they might not otherwise consider, especially skilled trades, supporting what President and CEO Jim Farley calls the 'Essential Economy' — industries that move, fix, and build the country. The labs are part of Ford's larger $11.7 million Ford Good Neighbor Plan in the region.
“When the kids realize that what we are building has real-life value, it's like their mindset changes completely.”
Ripley's lab is the only one of the five not in a high school, and every student in third through fifth grade gets a turn through class rotations. The biggest project so far is the 'weather cart,' a mobile, solar-powered device that reports live weather conditions and teaches temperature, dew point, and barometric pressure. This academic year, Holmes wants to turn it into a smart system and has his sights set on a big STEM competition. He says the lab is helping draw families to rural Lauderdale County, population about 25,000.
- Simulating a volcano eruption with vinegar and baking soda
- Watching small robots programmed to navigate mazes
- Building a sign with LED lights powered by electricity generated with coils and magnets
“When I'm having a bad day, I walk into the lab to see the excitement. It is a place where everybody has the opportunity to be successful.”
Holmes, from nearby Dyersburg, worked various jobs and owned a business before earning a master's degree in 2017; the new school year is his fifth year teaching. He painted a mural of Henry Ford in the lab as gratitude. Next up, he plans to help students build a walking robot tiger, the school's mascot, and says programming is 'right up my alley.'
Why this matters
The labs aim to introduce K-12 students to careers in skilled trades and engineering through hands-on learning, supporting Ford's 'Essential Economy' vision in the region around its BlueOval City campus. For rural Lauderdale County, the lab is helping draw families to a community of about 25,000, and school leaders say it builds confidence in students who struggle elsewhere.
Terms in This Story
- 3D printer
- A machine that creates three-dimensional objects by adding material layer by layer from a digital design.
- laser cutter
- A tool that uses a focused laser beam to cut or engrave materials like wood, plastic, or metal.
- skilled trades
- Occupations that require specialized training or hands-on skills, such as electricians, plumbers, and mechanics.
- Essential Economy
- A term used by Ford's CEO for industries that move, fix, and build the country, encompassing transportation, construction, and similar sectors.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.