Full STEAM ahead for Johnstown Local Schools' innovation centers with Meta partnership
JOHNSTOWN ― As Johnstown Elementary School students sat down at tables in the school's new Innovation Center on Tuesday morning, they didn't need a whole lot of supervision as they excitedly pieced things together.
Kendra Arbogast, fourth grade intervention specialist at Johnstown Intermediate School, beamed as second grade daughter Ava and son Xavier, entering kindergarten, tinkered with the Clixo modern magnetic play experience.
"It helps them to be curious and see how things fit together," Arbogast said. "It builds their imagination, and they figure out how things work. It's important, because a lot of students will end up working at Intel, and this helps them get their brains working in that way."
On a day the district announced its partnership with Meta New Albany Data Center to fund STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics) education for all students, the youngest ones (grades K-3) got to explore all the facets of the Innovation Center during a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
In addition to Clixo, there were a magnetic tiles castle, electric robot kits and a STEM kids experience with a bubble machine, mini wind-powered car, motor generator model, a two-wheels balance car, a double-layered windowed car and snap circuits. The LEGO Spike Prime was fascinating, and spread across the back of the room were 3D printers, a vinyl printer and a laser engraver.
"They're just playing and building, making stuff," said district director of operations Derick Busenburg, former principal at Johnstown High School. "This gives them a good start at a young age. The 3D printers can really do some amazing things."
During the ribbon cutting, superintendent Dr. Philip Wagner said the Innovation Center for K-3 was the first of four that will be throughout the district, the others slated for the intermediate school, middle school and high school. It is the culmination of a 10-month project. On Monday, the Johnstown school board accepted sponsorship of $300,000 from Meta New Albany Data Center.
"These are the beginning stages right here," Wagner said. "It's more interchangeable and hands on. They (Spike Prime) look like LEGOS, but there is coding involved. This makes education come alive and engages them in real world experiences. As we move along, the older groups will receive more sophisticated equipment."
The Meta sponsorship also will allow the conversion of the existing middle school media center into an Innovation Center, which will include Maker and Tinker spaces equipped with a 3D printer for modeling, laser cutter, vinyl printer and cutter, robotic kits and more.
Extending these concepts to the high school, the sponsorship will fund improvements to its present Innovation Center and Media Arts Program, as well as funding the addition of a year three Bio-Medical course.
The New Albany Data Center, which opened in 2018, is part of Meta’s global infrastructure bringing technologies and services to life, along with future immersive experiences like the metaverse — the next chapter of the internet. Meta is dedicated to supporting the Ohio community through hiring people to build and operate data centers, volunteering, and supporting local schools, nonprofits and community projects.
"It's exciting. We applied for a Community Action Grant," said Chris Suel, Meta's community development regional manager. "The goal is to start at the kindergarten level. It's usually in the third grade, but Dr. Wagner pushed for kindergarten. This way, they will have STEAM education from grades K through 12."
The LEGOS Spike Prime proved to be popular Tuesday, as kids used a computer to interact with the coded pieces.
"It makes the LEGOS move and do different things," said new Johnstown Elementary principal Roben Wagoner. "They're curious about everything, and this helps satisfy their natural curiousity."
Lisa Morrison watched as daughter Reilly, entering third grade, worked with the Spike.
"She already loves LEGOS. She and her dad build a lot with LEGOS," Morrison said. "She's trying to build a spinning Ferris wheel."
On display with the 3D printers were several items that had been created in great detail, including a Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur, animals, insects and other items, and even the downtown Columbus skyline.
"Our Project Lead the Way involves problem solving, and the third graders have been designing animal species," Innovation teacher McKenzie Davis said. "The kids make their own shapes as part of what they create, and we're excited that the 3D printers can print the animals."
Johnstown Elementary art teacher Kirstin Prohl said she already has a 3D printer in her classroom.
"Through rapid symmetry, we've designed snowflakes and made them into keychains," she said. "With these extra printers, we can do it quicker, and do bigger projects. Just the third graders have been doing it, but this year, we'll do second and third grade."
Davis said the middle school Innovation Center will focus on robotics, and the high school will have pre-engineering and Bio-Medical. "With the students starting so young, they can put what they've learned into action when they get older," she said.
These enhancements will further Johnstown's strategic focus on its “Three E’s” pathways for graduates, which include becoming "enrolled,” in another educational institution, “employed,” or “enlisted” in a branch of the armed services. Eventual careers could begin at nearby Intel, or the Meta New Albany Data Center.
Johnstown school board president Tim Swauger was amazed by all the technology available to young students.
"I really like the hands on approach, most of all," he said. "I wish they would have had all of this when I was young."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Full STEAM ahead for Johnstown Local Schools' innovation centers
