BRATTLEBORO — A team of professional engineers from Stevens & Associates, P.C., recently volunteered at St. Michael's School, working with eighth- and ninth-graders to provide a project-based educational program.
The aim was to foster creativity and innovation for an anticipated “green space” project, which will be located behind the school.
Serenity Wolf, civil engineer at S&A, explained in a news release that her firm focuses on building community through engineering projects and personal and company service.
“I love that I can share my passion for engineering directly with students and show them how we can make our community a better place by using math and science,” Wolf said.
Civil and structural engineers from S&A collaborated with Principal Elaine Beam and ninth-grade teacher Joseph Milano to highlight the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM for short.
The program included lectures, a guided site visit, and discussions. The event culminated in student presentations of each model.
S&A's goal was to provide a platform for students to develop ideas on how to convert the open space currently covered in asphalt to a multi-purpose green space. An additional point was to inspire the students to achieve a sense of ownership toward the school's upcoming project and to expose them to the professions of engineering and design.
“We want our students to be good stewards of our planet,” Beam said. “Along with composting, recycling, and working to ensure that SMS is as green as possible, we want our students to be actively engaged in projects that will help transform our school. This partnership with S&A has provided an extraordinary learning opportunity for our students to put an idea into practice.”
S&A said it received positive and thoughtful feedback from student surveys.
Students said, in part, “Engineering could be an optional career for when I grow up” and “I learned there is a lot more to do than just sit in an office.” The students said they were particularly excited to work outside, create and present their models, and work with S&A engineers.
The school community says it looks forward to the next stages of this project: fundraising and reaching out to the greater community.