By John Rohlf, The Message assistant editor
Holy Trinity School in Jasper’s east campus joined a growing list of diocesan schools to open a Design and Innovation Studio for its students.
Along with Holy Trinity, Washington Catholic Elementary School in Washington, Flaget Elementary School in Vincennes and Westside Catholic School in Evansville all have also opened Design and Innovation studios in the past two years.
Holy Trinity School held a ribbon cutting Jan. 16 in their Design and Innovation Studio. In partnership with Vincennes University and Purdue’s Indiana Manufacturing Competitiveness Center (IN-MaC), the school announced the opening of a Design and Innovation studio at the school’s east campus. The studio, which opened at the beginning of the current school year, is dedicated to Science, Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and early career awareness. The studio provides students access to technology and other cutting-edge innovations.
The Design and Innovation Studio offers 3D printing, robotics, Spheros and Little Bits. The studios offer various opportunities for schools, educators and students to discover new ways to explore design thinking, problem solving, technology and creative skill sets. The studios provide hands-on experience in manufacturing, robotics, coding, engineering and science through 61 units and 213 standards aligned lessons.
Keri Ballard, STEM and PLTW (Project Lead The Way) teacher at Holy Trinity, said since the studio was put in a week before school started, she did not have much time last summer to plan out the curriculum.
“I’ve kind of, this year, just done a lot of trial and error,” Ballard said. “What will fit where. And so as the years go on, I think I’ll get a better understanding and what part of the lab fits with what kids. And my goal is just to continue to grow their love of STEM and their love of the robotics and the coding.”
Submitted photo
Jon Temple, principal at the Holy Trinity east campus for students in third through eighth grade, believes with the addition of the Design and Innovation Studio, the schools at both campuses have a STEM sequence for students from kindergarten to eighth grade. Temple said the past several years, central campus principal Jenna Seng started weekly STEM activities and lessons for students in kindergarten through second grade. For students in middle school, Temple recently started a Project Lead The Way course. Prior to the implementation of the studio, Temple saw a gap in third through fifth grades, even with their teachers doing great things within the science curriculum.
Ballard said along with the Design and Innovation Studio and all the items offered in the studio, they also do a lot of discussion about careers and career development. Ballard is working heavily with them to develop interest in microelectronics in the elementary schools because robotics in electrical engineers, microelectronics and robotics is the future, she said.
Ballard believes the sooner they can spark their interest and allow them to explore that on their own, the better they will be.
“I think it’s really important that kids understand that there’s many, many careers out there and not all of them require them to go to college,” Ballard said. “There’s a lot of things in the STEM world and in the robotics world and the microelectronics world where you can be a technician and still be a very successful person. It’s my goal to continue to try to spark their interest, meet them where their interest is and take it from there and see if we can develop that love and that joy of where I think the world is going.”
Temple noted Dubois County is a manufacturing community, adding there are some high tech jobs in the area. He also referenced their proximity to Crane, which is what has allowed Ballard to go there to visit and see some of the things they are doing at the business.
“Part of the world is moving a lot in that direction,” Temple said. “And it stimulates a lot of not just science things, but kids are working collaboratively. They’re using their creativity. And it’s been fun to see.”