John F. Kennedy Elementary School Teacher Implements Cutting-Edge Global STEAM Project Thanks to Local Funding

Oletha Walker, a teacher at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Windsor, launched a partnership with Level Up Village (LUV) to offer cutting-edge global STEAM (STEM + ARTS) Education to her school thanks to local funding by the Windsor Education Foundation.

Walker is the Challenge Resource teacher, working with the school’s gifted and talented students, the school’s STEM teacher, and now the Project Based Learning teacher. After hearing about LUV’s Global Inventors (3D printing) course, which connects students with global partners to learn computer aided design and 3D printing, Walker pursued different opportunities to bring this innovative approach to her school.

“Our curriculum already provided a focus on STEM, but my students needed to know it was relatable to the real world,” said Walker. “It’s important to prepare them for the jobs of the future, to be creative and think outside of the box.”

Walker applied for a grant through the Windsor Education Foundation, a non-profit that provides funding to innovative educational programs within the town. The organization fully funded her grant, which included the Global Inventors course, a 3D printer and all necessary supplies to operate it. The Enfield-based Tobacco Valley Teachers Federal Credit Union also funded an additional 3D printer.

As part of the Global Inventors course, students collaborate one-on-one with partner students from one of LUV’s Global Partner organizations in a developing country via video message exchange. LUV paired her students with global partners at Al Hassad School in Amman, Jordan. The students follow the same curriculum and work together to design and 3D print a variety of projects, culminating in a 3D printed solar powered light source.

“By partnering with Level Up Village, we are helping our students develop 21st century skills through hands-on STEAM projects and global collaboration,” added Walker. “The global component of this program is especially exciting and will give students the extraordinary opportunity to work together with their partners, while simultaneously learning about their lives and daily life in the developing world.”

About Level Up Village:
Level Up Village (LUV) delivers pioneering Global STEAM (STEM + Arts) enrichment courses that promote design thinking and one-to-one collaboration on real-world problems between K-9 students in the U.S. and partner students in developing countries. Launched in 2012, LUV runs courses during school, after-school and in the summer at more than 100 U.S. schools in 15 states, with over 30 Global Partner organizations in 23 countries. More information is available at levelupvillage.com.

About The Windsor Education Foundation:
The Windsor Education Foundation is an independent non-profit organization formed by Windsor citizens to support Windsor's teachers and students by funding original, creative educational projects for Windsor kids. These innovative projects benefit large numbers of students with varying learning abilities, all without relying on the tax-funded school budget. To learn more please go to www.WindsorEducationFoundation.org.

About Windsor Public Schools:
Windsor Public Schools serves nearly 4,000 students in the community of Windsor, Connecticut, a town located in north central Connecticut between Hartford and Springfield, Massachusetts. Windsor Public Schools is comprised of six schools: Oliver Ellsworth School, Poquonock School, Clover Street School, John F. Kennedy School, Sage Park Middle School, and Windsor High School. The mission of Windsor Public Schools is to develop the genius in every child and to create life-long learners. For more information about the Windsor Board of Education and any of its schools, please visit www.windsorct.org.