Green Bay Reporter

The Green Bay Area Public School (GBAPS) District has announced that the Bay Link Manufacturing program at West High School celebrated its 10-year anniversary with a visit from Governor Tony Evers, local officials, and community partners.

According to a press release, Bay Link Manufacturing at West High School marked this milestone on May 12, 2025. The event was attended by Governor Tony Evers, along with local and state officials and community partners. During the celebration, instructor Andrew Belongia highlighted the program's history and shared examples of large-scale student projects. Three students, two from West High School and one from Preble High School, discussed their future plans following their involvement in the program with Governor Evers.

Established in 2014 by the Green Bay Area Public School District in partnership with Northeast Wisconsin Technical College and the NEW Manufacturing Alliance, Bay Link Manufacturing is described as a high-precision, student-run manufacturing learning lab. The program provides students from East, Preble, Southwest, and West High Schools with hands-on experience in industrial welding, machine fabrication, and metals. Additionally, students learn business operations such as sales, marketing, accounting, production planning, bidding, and customer service.

Bay Link Manufacturing aims to prepare students for immediate entry into the manufacturing workforce or continued education through two- or four-year colleges in fields related to manufacturing and engineering. Over the past decade, it has received more than $200,000 in donations from community partners and generated nearly $100,000 in revenue through student-completed projects for local companies.

The Green Bay Area Public School District is located in Northeast Wisconsin and is the fourth-largest public school district in the state. It serves over 18,000 students across 39 schools. Founded in 1856, the district includes communities such as Allouez, Ledgeview, Bellevue, Green Bay, and Scott. It offers various educational pathways to meet diverse student needs. The district has a rich history that includes a century-old football rivalry between East and West high schools and City Stadium's role as the original home field for the Green Bay Packers. Its mission is to prepare students for success in college careers and their communities.