Engineering Design is a term-contained course taught by Mr. Harris. Though students may associate engineering with strict rules, Mr. Harris is refreshingly open about the learning process.  When asked what he wants students to get out of the class, Mr. Harris replied that he wants to remove the stigma of failure from his students.

In the class, students often face the possibility of failure. If their design doesn’t work, they must start over from scratch. But Engineering Design focuses more on the process of designing various products than the finished products themselves. “Failure is a part of engineering and students will learn to look at failure with a critical eye,” Mr. Harris explained.

Chazz Alphonso ’17 feels that the class is dynamic. “Mr. Harris is a great teacher. He is laid back but at the same time able to motivate his students to get things done,” he said.

One of the few courses at Kent that are taught off campus, Engineering Design takes place in the Pre-Engineering building. The Pre-Engineering building gives students access to a wealth of impressive tools, including a 3-D printer.

Alphonso comments on how rewarding it is to be able to to hold his work in his hand and know that he has made it. “[Using] the 3-D printers to get your ideas out there physically, regardless of its flaws, is a very rewarding aspect of the class,” he said. “Being able to produce something you are proud of and confident in is fulfilling,” he added.