Program tries to give kids a leg up on tech

Jamaica schools seventh-grader Rylan Tate always liked math, particularly geometry. Still, he didn't know why it's important to understand things like lines, angles and shapes, other than to do well on tests.

He does now, thanks to the Gateway to Technology pre-engineering program, which Vermilion Advantage brought to his school this year.

"You can use math to design things and build things and make things better," Rylan said, as he and his classmates drew three-dimensional cubes on computers in their science class Tuesday. "It's fun."

Part of the national Project Lead the Way program, the Gateway to Technology curriculum introduces junior high and middle school students to engineering principles and technology. Students engage in hands-on, real-world activities that call on their critical-thinking, problem-solving, teamwork and communication skills.

"The goal is to get students excited about STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) careers," said Kim Kuchenbrod, Vermilion Advantage's workforce development consultant. "We want to plant that interest now, so that they'll take more advanced math and science classes in high school and go on to pursue careers in engineering, technology or health care. Hopefully, they'll come back and fill those types of jobs here in Vermilion County."

The program currently is available in 18 middle schools and junior high schools in Illinois, including North Ridge and South View middle schools in Danville. However, it's been difficult to establish in-house programs in rural school districts because of software, technology and training costs.

About a year ago, Vermilion Advantage officials began thinking of a way to deliver the program to rural schools and came up with their mobile engineering lab. It was funded by an Alcoa Foundation grant and other resources and is supported by the Vermilion Advantage Workforce Clusters.

Vermilion Advantage is piloting the nine-week program for more than 200 seventh-graders at three schools this year, first Jamaica and later Westville and Oakwood. Next year, officials want to expand it to include other schools, as well as eighth-graders.

"Our ultimate goal is to have a lab for the north county schools and one for the south county schools," Kuchenbrod said. "And we're hoping, based on the results, that the program could be used by other counties to reach students in the rural districts."

A few weeks ago, instructor Debbie Clow, a former Oakwood High School chemistry and physics teacher, introduced a unit on design and modeling to science teacher Miranda Simmon's seventh-graders. Plans call for introducing other units — automation and robotics, energy and environments, flight and space, the magic of electrons and the science of technology — which can be taught independently or in conjunction with each other.

So far, students have designed and built air racers out of heavy paper and furniture for Cabbage Patch dolls out of cardboard. They are learning to sketch two-dimensional and three-dimensional shapes on paper and on their laptops, and will soon create three-dimensional pegboards on the computer and different-shaped pegs that must fit into the right holes.

"They're learning math and science, just in a different way," Clow said, adding the hands-on projects show students the relevancy of what they're learning.

The program also includes guest speakers, local engineers and other professionals, and field trips.

"It's just a wonderful, top-notch program," Principal Mollie Pletch said, adding it enhances the school's curriculum with "hands-on, problem-solving challenges. Watching them work together, talk things through, share ideas, accept compromise and seeing their critical-thinking skills and creativity at work ... is great to see. We're so thankful to Vermilion Advantages and the area business and industry for making this opportunity possible."

Students said they like using computers and other technology that is second nature to them. They also like the project-based learning concept, which requires less lecturing by the teacher and more problem-solving by them.

"If something doesn't work right, you have to figure out why and fix it," Haven Richards said, adding students have to work as a team to do that.

"I think it's pretty awesome," Aleah Carder said, adding the program has opened up career possibilities. "I always thought I wanted to be a teacher. Now I'm considering becoming an engineer."