New Glarus School District students didn’t simply receive five new computers for the district’s Tech Ed classroom this summer — they helped build them.

The project paired funding from Only in Wisconsin Giving with the work of students participating in the district’s summer Knight Crew program. The five dedicated desktop computers will be used for computer-aided design, technical drawings, blueprints and other computer-based design applications.

The need was identified by the Tech Ed department during the previous school year. While laptops offer students flexibility, the district said dedicated desktop computers provide a more powerful and consistent platform for applications that require additional computing capability.

New Glarus Director of Technology Don Malaise submitted a grant proposal to Only in Wisconsin Giving that was designed to solve the equipment need while also creating a hands-on learning opportunity. Grant funds paid for the computer components, while Knight Crew students were responsible for assembling the machines.