Technology, creativity, and hands-on learning took center stage at the Montcalm Community College Tech Fest, a community technology festival designed to inspire high school students, college students, and community members across Montcalm County and West Michigan.

On this episode of the Discover Montcalm Podcast, host Duane Weed takes listeners inside the third edition of Tech Fest, hosted at Montcalm Community College (address: 2800 College Dr, Sidney, MI 48885), and guided by organizer Steve Schofield, who helped bring together students, educators, and industry partners from across the region.

Tech Fest is designed as a self-paced, hands-on experience, allowing attendees to explore technology in real, tangible ways. Stations are student-led whenever possible, with support from local businesses and industry professionals.

Participating schools included:

Carson City-Crystal Area Schools

Central Montcalm Public Schools

Greenville Public Schools

Lakeview Community Schools

Montabella Community Schools

Vestaburg Community Schools

Flat River Academy

The goal is simple but powerful: spark curiosity, creativity, and confidence in technology for students in grades 9–12.

One of the highlights of Tech Fest was seeing students lead the learning.

🔹 Berkley, a student from Tri County, showcased mobile apps and AI projects she developed herself—including an AI-powered learning platform and a mapping app with advanced features beyond traditional navigation tools.

🔹 Students from Central Montcalm Middle School, led by STEM instructor Shannon Oswald, demonstrated creative uses of Makey Makey kits, turning everyday materials like aluminum foil, graphite pencils, and Play-Doh into controllers for games, instruments, and interactive projects.

🔹 Greenville High School robotics students brought their competition robot, demonstrating real-world problem solving, teamwork, and engineering skills.

Tech Fest also featured strong industry and community partnerships, including:

Michigan Works, sharing insights into the West Michigan job market

Shoepan, leading PC dismantling and recycling demonstrations

Aggressive Tool, offering hands-on soldering experiences

Michigan State Police, demonstrating cybersecurity and network detection

Flying Acres, showcasing cutting-edge agricultural drone technology

These partnerships help students connect classroom learning to real careers happening right here in Montcalm County and West Michigan.

From AI-generated programming to agricultural drones weighing nearly 400 pounds, Tech Fest highlighted how fast technology is evolving—and how accessible it can be when students are given the opportunity to explore.

One interactive AI station demonstrated how natural language prompts can generate programming code in real time, showing students that the future of coding is changing rapidly.

Now in its third year, Tech Fest continues to grow—not just as an annual event, but as an evolving collaboration between Montcalm Community College, local schools, and industry partners.

Educators, businesses, and organizations interested in participating can contact Montcalm Community College and ask about Tech Fest coordination.

This episode is part of the Discover Montcalm Podcast, highlighting the people, businesses, and stories that make Montcalm County and West Michigan such a special place to live.

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