Superior High School’s Spartan Manufacturing Opens Doors to the Community

At the open house, Cenovus Energy donated $50,000 to the student-led business for the second time

SUPERIOR, Wisc. — After its inaugural year, Spartan Manufacturing at Superior High School hosted an open house to show the community their work.

Spartan Manufacturing’s goal is to educate high school students about trade professions, through running a student-led business. At Wednesday’s open house, the program received a $50,000 donation from Cenovus Energy, one of many local businesses who have invested in Spartan Manufacturing. The money went toward new welding machines and booths, but junior Jack Milliken said the support means more than just new equipment.

“To my high school experience, I think this is very essential,” said Milliken. “I found myself struggling to choose which classes I want to take and this one was a dead ringer for something I wanted to do. I knew from the second it dropped that I wanted to be in that class. All year last year, hearing about it, hearing that it’s coming to the high school, I was very motivated. It makes somebody who has a hard time wanting to come to school, want to come to school every day.”

Milliken said although motivation was not an issue for him and others, he said the program can be attractive to students interested in business–but not necessarily in other aspects of school. Among the important things they’ve learned in Spartan Manufacturing’s first year are the importance of communication and teamwork. Those skills were key in making the products available at the open house’s silent auction, as well as online at spartanmfg.org.