Industrial Strength T.L.C.
Recycling Plastic. Reclaiming Potential.
Wisconsin throws away millions of pounds of recyclable plastic every year. At the same time, school budgets keep getting cut and an entire generation of hands-on learners is falling through the cracks.
The Lost Club exists because both of those problems have the same solution.
Wisconsin, It’s Time To Rethink Our Plastic Problem...
TWO CRISES. ONE ANSWER.
Wisconsin is buried in plastic it doesn't know what to do with and full of students who learn by doing, not by sitting. Our schools are cutting the programs that would have reached them. Our manufacturers can't find skilled workers to fill open jobs. And the plastic keeps piling up.
These aren't separate problems. They're the same problem.
THE SCHOOLS PROBLEM
For 16 consecutive years, Wisconsin school budgets have failed to keep pace with inflation
66% of Wisconsin school districts are set to lose state aid — shop classes, arts, and trades programs go first
In 2024 alone, nearly half of Wisconsin's school districts went to voters asking for emergency funding
Wisconsin has only 8 dedicated vocational schools for the entire state
79% of Wisconsin manufacturers report difficulty finding skilled workers — and the shortage is only getting worse
By 2030, an estimated 2.1 million skilled trades jobs nationally are projected to go unfilled
THE PLASTIC PROBLEM
Wisconsin buries an estimated $64 million worth of recyclable plastic in landfills every single year
Hundreds of tons of plastic hit Wisconsin landfills every day that could be collected, processed, and reused locally
Plastic takes 450+ years to break down — we use it for 20 minutes
Recycling just one ton of plastic saves the equivalent of up to 2,000 gallons of gasoline
22 million pounds of plastic enter the Great Lakes annually — it starts in our own backyards
We’re Building The Place That’s Fixing Both!
The Lost Club is a micro plastic recycling and manufacturing think tank and innovation hub that’s built for students, led by students, and designed to solve real problems for real communities.
We collect clean plastic waste from local manufacturers before it reaches the landfill. Then we put it in the hands of students who learn to use it as a medium to design, fabricate, and build real things that their communities actually need. Benches. Planters. Infrastructure. Civic solutions. Humanitarian projects. Art.
Students don't just learn about manufacturing. They do it. Guided by volunteer educators, skilled tradespeople, and each other, they learn real-world skills in fabrication, CNC machining, 3D modeling, business, and leadership — and they walk away with something most classrooms can't give them: proof that they built something that matters.
This isn't a recycling club. It's a pipeline for skilled workers, for community solutions, and for kids who didn't know what they were capable of until someone handed them the tools.
Ready To Get Involved?
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Students & Parents
Real tools. Real projects. No homework. Find out what the lab looks like, what students build, and how to get involved.
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Volunteer & Donate
We need makers, mentors, machinists, and believers. Find out how to give your time, your skills, or your support.
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Cities & Investors
Backed by Pork King Good, a national brand actively looking to relocate its manufacturing is looking for a partner city to work with!
A Message From Rick Koston
