Thanks to generous investments from industry, state, and local partners, we proudly offer you and your students this exciting program that travels throughout Kansas! Using 3D virtual reality and live interactive activities, students will be given the opportunity to try various careers that are in high demand, both regionally and nationally. All careers shown are related to technical education STEM disciplines. Many activities offer students a chance to hone their problem-solving and troubleshooting skills in a professional context while getting more comfortable with high-tech tools. With this in mind, we highly recommend that teachers enhance and ground our efforts by integrating this experience into their STEM curriculum immediately following our visit.
You may be wondering exactly how we offer this. It’s a great question, so let’s talk about that now! The FutureMaker Mobile Learning Lab comprises a large truck/trailer we bring to your school. We will park and unload equipment that will be assembled in the classroom spaces you designate inside the building before our visit.
Note: Currently, no activities occur inside the mobile lab. Our entire program will be completed inside your school.
Session Structure
Length: 80 Minutes
Students Per Session: Up to 25
All students will begin their session in a single classroom. We will introduce the program and explain what they will experience. We will then split the students into smaller groups for the activities.
Note: Please do not split the students into groups before their session. We will take care of that for you.
Depending on the activities planned for the day, students may rotate between demonstrations to allow all students a chance to participate. Toward the end of the session, all students must return to the classroom; we started the session with a 5-10-minute discussion to round out what they saw. We will also be letting students know about technical college education programs available to them in their nearby area. Each session with us is typically 80 minutes long to align with a standard block schedule (though we may be able to accommodate special session length requests).
We can support a maximum class size of 25 per session, and multiple sessions a day are an option for you for a whole grade to participate. We recommend groups of 20-24 per session for the best experience. For larger schools, we offer multi-day service to accommodate all students in a grade level on a case-by-case basis.
We can support a maximum class size of 25 per session, and multiple sessions a day are an option for you for a whole grade to participate. We recommend groups of 20-24 per session for the best experience. For larger schools, we offer multi-day service to accommodate all students in a grade level on a case-by-case basis.
Building Access:
In order to move our equipment into your facility, we require access to a ground floor location with no stairs to climb or an elevator to get to higher floors.
Mobile Lab Parking Space:
We will arrive onsite 1 hour before the start time for the first session each day. This allows the crew time to unpack and set up equipment in your building. Please have our parking area blocked off before that time.
A good rule of thumb for creating a maneuvering space for the mobile lab on arrival is 81/18, or:
Length needed: 81 feet minimum
Width required: 18 feet minimum
Supervisory Helpers:
Our lab requires additional support from your school to give students the best possible experience on the day of our visit and ensure student conduct is appropriate. Please have one or two supervising adults available to assist us for all sessions each day. We will need these helpers available 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the first session for a brief training on the program structure.
Note: Please attempt to keep the same helper working with us the entire day so that we can train the individual just once in the morning. Switching helpers throughout the day is not recommended unless necessary.
Space and Equipment:
We will need two classrooms in your building to set up our program (a library, gym, or other large, quiet common area is also acceptable). They do not need to be next to each other, though that is preferred. Each classroom will need to have:
- Minimum of 15 chairs
- Minimum of 6 large tables
- Access to at least 2 working power outlets
- Wi-Fi internet access
We will provide cords, surge protectors, and all other setup equipment. When we arrive, we will arrange tables and chairs to match the space and provide your students with the best interactive experience.
Free within 80 Miles of Wichita, Kansas
Please be aware that while the program is free to you thanks to our generous sponsors, for FutureMaker Mobile Learning Lab trips taking place 80+ miles from our home base in Wichita, Kansas, we ask schools and organizations to reimburse us for travel expenses and provide the team with lunch.
Invoices for reimbursement of travel expenses are sent to our point-of-contact at each school/event unless our contact person arranges to have them sent to another person before our visit. You can expect invoices for expense reimbursement to be emailed the week after we provide service and are on Net 30 terms.
School Service
If you are a school requesting the FutureMaker experience and are 80+ miles from Wichita, we also ask that you find 2 other middle/high schools in your area that would like to share a 3-day trip over a Tuesday-Thursday. We package trips this way to provide the experience to more students while allowing fuel costs to be shared across more schools, saving each some money.
2022-2023 reimbursement rates for a standard 3-day trip:
- Hotel (3 double rooms each night for 3 total nights @ $150.00 per room) =$1,350.00
- Generator Fuel (8 gallons per day @ $4.50/gal) = $108.00
- Truck Fuel (7 miles-per-gallon @$4.50/gal) = varies by distance; for a 200-mile round trip, truck fuel would be $129.00, for example.
- Team lunch (4 people per day @$9/person) = $108.00 Grand total for trip = $1,695.00 (or $565.00 for each school if 3 schools participate)
Event Service
The FutureMaker Mobile Learning Lab team loves providing the public with fun and interactive STEM career demonstrations at events. Some events do not require us to stay overnight, and some do, based on the time of the event and distance. Hotel reimbursement needs will be arranged for your specific event requirements. Below, you will find daily travel expense reimbursement rates for event service.
2022 – 2023 reimbursement rates for a standard single-day event:
- Hotel (3 double rooms for one night @ $150.00 per room) = $450.00
- Generator Fuel (8 gallons per day @ $4.50/gal) = $36.00
- Truck Fuel (7 miles-per-gallon @$4.50/gal) = varies by distance; for a 200-mile round trip, truck fuel would be $129.00, for example.
- Team lunch (4 people per day @$9/person) = $36.00
Grand total for trip = $651.00
Thanks to generous investments from industry, state, and local partners, we proudly offer you and your students this exciting program that travels throughout Kansas! Using 3D virtual reality and live interactive activities, students will be given the opportunity to try various careers that are in high demand, both regionally and nationally. All careers shown are related to technical education STEM disciplines. Many activities offer students a chance to hone their problem-solving and troubleshooting skills in a professional context while getting more comfortable with high-tech tools. With this in mind, we highly recommend that teachers enhance and ground our efforts by integrating this experience into their STEM curriculum immediately following our visit.
You may be wondering exactly how we offer this. It’s a great question, so let’s talk about that now! The FutureMaker Mobile Learning Lab comprises a large truck/trailer we bring to your school. We will park and unload equipment that will be assembled in the classroom spaces you designate inside the building before our visit.
Note: Currently, no activities occur inside the mobile lab. Our entire program will be completed inside your school.
Session Structure
Length: 80 Minutes
Students Per Session: Up to 25
All students will begin their session in a single classroom. We will introduce the program and explain what they will experience. We will then split the students into smaller groups for the activities.
Note: Please do not split the students into groups before their session. We will take care of that for you.
Depending on the activities planned for the day, students may rotate between demonstrations to allow all students a chance to participate. Toward the end of the session, all students must return to the classroom; we started the session with a 5-10-minute discussion to round out what they saw. We will also be letting students know about technical college education programs available to them in their nearby area. Each session with us is typically 80 minutes long to align with a standard block schedule (though we may be able to accommodate special session length requests).
We can support a maximum class size of 25 per session, and multiple sessions a day are an option for you for a whole grade to participate. We recommend groups of 20-24 per session for the best experience. For larger schools, we offer multi-day service to accommodate all students in a grade level on a case-by-case basis.
We can support a maximum class size of 25 per session, and multiple sessions a day are an option for you for a whole grade to participate. We recommend groups of 20-24 per session for the best experience. For larger schools, we offer multi-day service to accommodate all students in a grade level on a case-by-case basis.
Building Access:
In order to move our equipment into your facility, we require access to a ground floor location with no stairs to climb or an elevator to get to higher floors.
Mobile Lab Parking Space:
We will arrive onsite 1 hour before the start time for the first session each day. This allows the crew time to unpack and set up equipment in your building. Please have our parking area blocked off before that time.
A good rule of thumb for creating a maneuvering space for the mobile lab on arrival is 81/18, or:
Length needed: 81 feet minimum
Width required: 18 feet minimum
Supervisory Helpers:
Our lab requires additional support from your school to give students the best possible experience on the day of our visit and ensure student conduct is appropriate. Please have one or two supervising adults available to assist us for all sessions each day. We will need these helpers available 10 minutes before the scheduled start of the first session for a brief training on the program structure.
Note: Please attempt to keep the same helper working with us the entire day so that we can train the individual just once in the morning. Switching helpers throughout the day is not recommended unless necessary.
Space and Equipment:
We will need two classrooms in your building to set up our program (a library, gym, or other large, quiet common area is also acceptable). They do not need to be next to each other, though that is preferred. Each classroom will need to have:
- Minimum of 15 chairs
- Minimum of 6 large tables
- Access to at least 2 working power outlets
- Wi-Fi internet access
We will provide cords, surge protectors, and all other setup equipment. When we arrive, we will arrange tables and chairs to match the space and provide your students with the best interactive experience.
Free within 80 Miles of Wichita, Kansas
Please be aware that while the program is free to you thanks to our generous sponsors, for FutureMaker Mobile Learning Lab trips taking place 80+ miles from our home base in Wichita, Kansas, we ask schools and organizations to reimburse us for travel expenses and provide the team with lunch.
Invoices for reimbursement of travel expenses are sent to our point-of-contact at each school/event unless our contact person arranges to have them sent to another person before our visit. You can expect invoices for expense reimbursement to be emailed the week after we provide service and are on Net 30 terms.
School Service
If you are a school requesting the FutureMaker experience and are 80+ miles from Wichita, we also ask that you find 2 other middle/high schools in your area that would like to share a 3-day trip over a Tuesday-Thursday. We package trips this way to provide the experience to more students while allowing fuel costs to be shared across more schools, saving each some money.
2022-2023 reimbursement rates for a standard 3-day trip:
- Hotel (3 double rooms each night for 3 total nights @ $150.00 per room) =$1,350.00
- Generator Fuel (8 gallons per day @ $4.50/gal) = $108.00
- Truck Fuel (7 miles-per-gallon @$4.50/gal) = varies by distance; for a 200-mile round trip, truck fuel would be $129.00, for example.
- Team lunch (4 people per day @$9/person) = $108.00 Grand total for trip = $1,695.00 (or $565.00 for each school if 3 schools participate)
Event Service
The FutureMaker Mobile Learning Lab team loves providing the public with fun and interactive STEM career demonstrations at events. Some events do not require us to stay overnight, and some do, based on the time of the event and distance. Hotel reimbursement needs will be arranged for your specific event requirements. Below, you will find daily travel expense reimbursement rates for event service.
2022 – 2023 reimbursement rates for a standard single-day event:
- Hotel (3 double rooms for one night @ $150.00 per room) = $450.00
- Generator Fuel (8 gallons per day @ $4.50/gal) = $36.00
- Truck Fuel (7 miles-per-gallon @$4.50/gal) = varies by distance; for a 200-mile round trip, truck fuel would be $129.00, for example.
- Team lunch (4 people per day @$9/person) = $36.00
Grand total for trip = $651.00
