Graphic Arts students tour McKay Press in Midland

Graphic Arts students from the Clare-Gladwin Career Center were exposed to the print and production business during a recent tour of McKay Press in Midland. Made possible by grant funds awarded to Graphic Arts instructor Andrea Boettner last spring by the Michigan Industrial and Technology Education Society (MITES), the field trip educated students on the variety of machines used by McKay Press, including a web press, letter press, folders, binders, cutter, stitcher, wide format printers, and more.

“The field trip was great,” said Graphic Arts student Chris Wargo of Farwell. “I liked the different machines they used. I had no idea how complicated it was going to be or how large and dynamic the space was. The people at McKay Press even gave us one of their excellent quality calendars and a huge roll of paper for our printing and crafting projects.”

According to Graphic Arts instructor Andrea Boettner, to be better prepared for a career in graphic arts, students need to have an understanding of the production side of the industry, and the field trip to McKay Press provided students with a useful introduction.

Graphic Arts is one of nine career and technical education (CTE) programs offered to high school juniors and seniors at the Clare-Gladwin Career Center, a program of the Clare-Gladwin RESD. The students spend half of their school day at their CTE program and the other half at their local high school.