By Vicki Prichard
NKyTribune reporter
Design Thinking – ways to find compelling solutions in a vast array of industries — was on display Wednesday at Receptions in Erlanger as the Boone County School District held its annual Innovation in Education luncheon.
Brilliant young minds filled the room demonstrating aeronautics, LEGO-based robots solving real-world engineering challenges, students involved in Design Thinking and gamification to enhance learning of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) skills.
Thornwilde Elementary School fourth-grader Michael Bucks demonstrates video and moviemaking
The event was Boone County Schools’ mission in action, transforming students into globally competitive critical thinkers, who graduate from Boone County Schools, college, career and life ready. It was sponsored by the Boone County Education Foundation.
“You’ve witnessed our strategic plan in action today, a plan that was developed after months of collaboration with the community, with business partners and our students, and all our staff within our schools,” says Randy Poe, Boone County Schools superintendent.
“When we talk about student empowerment, we’re talking about career and college opportunities that you’re witnessing today. We also want our students to be life ready, that’s what democracy and public education was built on, for our students to be life ready and career and college ready.”
Students, teachers and major corporate sponsors such as Duke Energy, Toyota, Mubea and Mazak were in attendance, but the real stars were the students like sophomore Lindsey Ford and junior Brenna Williams.
Zac McEachern, Ockerman Middle School, presents his creation
“One of the things that we do every year is we have the opportunity to intern with companies,” says Ford. “One that we work with is Toyota, and we make all of their safety videos that go worldwide.”
Donna Redding, media instructor at Connor, says she is always bragging about her students – and rightfully so.
“We just finished a project for Cengage as well, and it’s phenomenal. They do stuff with City, they’ve done things with MakerSpace, Master Provisions, nonprofits as well,” says Redding.
Poe says not only are they taking innovation to the next level with their students, but they’re taking innovation to the next level with their teaching core as well.
Redding says she had to learn much of the technology that she now teaches to her students.
“We are building a P-12 pipeline that is committed to preparing our students for endless opportunities for jobs that we can only imagine, for a future that we can only dream of. You have seen these skills being built today,” says Poe.
Boone County Schools teachers and students were joined by area business leaders at the Innovation in Education luncheon (Photos by Vicki Prichard)
Connor High School students, Lindsey Ford, a sophomore, and Brenna Williams, a junior, and media instructor Donna Redding.
Brendon Judie, a student with the Imagineering Academy explains his innovations
