From School Club to Successful Business

Diamond Bar High School is home to many student-run clubs, focusing on all kinds of specialized interests, but there has never been a club like Printed Works before. Advised by architecture instructor Ms. Ann Tran, Printed Works began as a 3D printing club that partnered with Spyder3D^® to provide participants with multiple 3D printers and Orbium™, our classroom-friendly 3D printing filament. As student creativity took off, the desire for more tools grew, and the idea of a modern digital workshop was developed and brought to life.

Since its inception, Printed Works has grown to include our complete Spyder Lab, comprised of two Spyder Nests (units housing six 3D printers each), a laser engraver, a direct-to-garment printer, and a large-format graphic printer/cutter. Not only that, the club has naturally evolved to become a successful student-run business. By imbuing participants with valuable hands-on business experience, the club participants worked together to create and sell numerous custom products to various school organizations and local businesses, learning each step of the business process along the way, and generating over $17,000 in real earned revenue in their first year alone.

The success of Printed Works serves as proof that such a program can yield success, both inherently and financially, and club interest has skyrocketed since their expansion into graphic media production. With the students readying up for their second year, Printed Works members are excited to begin the next chapter of their self-led business.

Spyder3D^® is dedicated to educating and inspiring the next generation of business leaders and will continue our evolution with a new collaboration at El Modena High School in the fall of 2019, a fully accredited business course utilizing the Spyder Lab that will give students the necessary business and graphic media production skills needed to succeed.