King School Opens Innovation Lab with Focus on STEM

The student became the teacher on Wednesday, Jan. 30, at King School in Stamford as three Upper School students guided guests through their new Innovation Lab and provided instruction on the equipment. The event served as the grand opening of the Lab and included a ribbon cutting ceremony and donor appreciation reception for a group of faculty, students, and donors.

"This event recognized the donors who made this remarkable space a reality. Their individual gifts to the Innovation Lab, along with the proceeds from the Parents' Associations' KingTucky Derby, resulted in $1MM raised for this exciting new facility that we officially opened tonight. It is because of their generosity and the tireless dedication of the Parents Association to our School that all students, present and future, can utilize this space to learn, design, create, build, and collaborate," comments Lauren Fredette, Director of Development.

King students Spencer Creveling, a junior from Wilton, George Chieffi, a junior from Darien, and Arynn Rybalov, a sophomore from Stamford, along with Ms. Kathryn Warren, Innovation Lab Director, and Dr. Tom Castonguay, Director of of STEM, greeted guests as they entered the Lab and offered instruction on the virtual reality equipment, laser engraver, 3D printers, and the digital embroidery machine.

The Lab provides Middle School and Upper School students the tools, space, and guidance to inspire and nurture discovery. Through real-time critical thinking and trial-and-error activities, students learn to design solutions to real world problems. The Innovation Lab expands upon other King School campus hubs for discovering and creating, including the Lower School Makerspace, the Computer Science Media Center, computer labs, science labs, recording studio, scene shop, and craft room.

All King students are deeply immersed in the study of STEM. Students passionate about STEM can elect to graduate with a Certificate of Distinction STEM. These STEM scholars pursue challenging courses, club activities, project development and/or research opportunities, culminating with a Capstone Project. Students learn first-hand the real-world skills used by today’s researchers and innovators, such as literature review, experimentation or project design, modeling, data analysis, and information presentation.

King School is a highly selective, PreK-Grade 12 co-ed, independent day school where academic excellence stems from the interaction among a challenging program that requires students to be engaged, active learners; support by exceptional faculty; and a kind community. King students are empowered to achieve their personal best. King graduates succeed in the top colleges and universities and pursue lives of ongoing inquiry and accomplishment. To learn more about King, visit www.kingschoolct.org.