Production supervisor Jeff Therriault shows Abigail LaMarche, 11, and her classmates how filter packs are made at The Strainrite Companies manufacturing plant in Auburn on Tuesday. Sixth-grade students from Webster and East Auburn elementary schools toured Strainrite and Globe Footwear to see career opportunities involving manufacturing. Strainrite owner Alan Lapoint told students there are a wide variety of skill sets needed in manufacturing, such as sales, accounting, engineers and chemists. Lapoint said the key is for students “to learn how to communicate well together.” Auburn School Department Aspirations Coordinator Jim Horn said this is the fifth year that all sixth-graders in the Auburn public school system will tour manufacturers during the school year. “Manufacturing is an opportunity for kids that has not always been there,” Horn said. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Corbin Lauze, 11, and his classmates learn how filter packs are made at The Strainrite Companies manufacturing plant in Auburn on Tuesday. Sixth-grade students from Webster and East Auburn elementary schools toured Strainrite and Globe Footwear to see career opportunities in manufacturing. Strainrite owner Alan Lapoint told students there are a wide variety of skill sets needed in manufacturing, such as sales, accounting, engineers and chemists. Lapoint said the key is for students “to learn how to communicate well together.” Auburn School Department Aspirations Coordinator Jim Horn said this is the fifth year all sixth-graders in the Auburn public school system will tour manufacturers during the school year. “Manufacturing is an opportunity for kids that has not always been there,” Horn said. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Process engineer Riley Mattor answers questions from Webster Elementary School sixth-graders at The Strainrite Companies manufacturing plant in Auburn on Tuesday. Visitors wore hairnets because Strainrite makes food-grade filters. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Karen Freeman shows Webster Elementary School sixth-graders various food-grade filters at The Strainrite Companies manufacturing plant in Auburn on Tuesday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Sixth-grade students from Webster Elementary School ask production supervisor Jeff Therriault questions during a tour of The Strainrite Companies manufacturing plant in Auburn on Tuesday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)