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John Cranston, center, created the Bird Inc. Program in 1996. Russellville Middle School students participate in a hands-on lesson. On the left is Ryder Bowling and on the right is Devin Tucker. Bird Inc. is a 50-minute activity that simulates a manufacturing environment. Students participate in a classroom business that includes a company president, sales and marketing professional, engineer, tool and die machinist, technician and quality control specialist. The rest of the class are potential investors. PHOTO BY MARÍA CAMP
RUSSELLVILLE – Middle school students recently got a hands-on look at how classroom lessons connect to real-world careers during a visit from an Auburn University research scientist.
John Cranston, a principal research scientist and engineer with Auburn University, spoke to seventh- and eighth-grade students as part of a statewide outreach effort designed to help students think early about education, career paths and decision-making.
Cranston said he and his colleague travel across Alabama speaking to middle school students about how choices made in school can shape future opportunities.
“We’re trying to help students understand that school isn’t just something you have to get through,” Cranston said. “It’s where you start learning what you’re good at, what you enjoy and what kind of path might fit you.”
During the presentation, Cranston used personal stories and visual examples to explain how education builds over time, comparing the process to refining raw materials into something more valuable. He told students that while many jobs that exist today may change or disappear due to advances in technology and artificial intelligence, problemsolving skills and adaptability remain essential.
“Your choices determine your future,” Cranston said. “The more good choices you make, the more opportunities you create for yourself.”
Cranston shared his own unconventional career journey, which included time in the military, working as a craftsman, and eventually a long career in aerospace engineering. He told students he did not always know where his path would lead but found that skills learned in middle school and high school later proved critical.
He said writing, math, and technical drawing were among the subjects that played a role in his later work on major aerospace projects, including the James Webb Space Telescope.
“Everything I learned that really mattered, I learned in middle school,” Cranston said. “At the time, I didn’t realize how important it would be.”
The presentation also included a hands-on demonstration that walked students through a mock manufacturing process. Student volunteers took on different roles within a simulated company, learning how teamwork, precision and problem-solving affect productivity and profit.
Cranston said the exercise was designed to show students how following instructions, paying attention to details, and working together can lead to success.
“It’s the same idea as school,” he said. “Trust the process, do your part and use your brain to solve problems.”
