(Greensburg, IN) – A ribbon cutting was held Tuesday afternoon for the North Decatur Elementary School Innovation Design Studio.
The aim of the classroom is to connect students with technology skills to prepare them for future career opportunities.
2nd-grade teacher Linda Smith helped spearhead the project.
“I’ve had a dream for years to have a STEM room, and now it’s finally happening,” Smith said. “Dave Sells, who teaches 6th grade, and I have always wanted this room and we worked together and so, I’ve written lots of grants over the years – to Duke Energy, the Decatur County Community Foundation, the United Fund – and we’ve slowly put things together.”
Several other organizations, including Decatur County Community Schools, have helped fund the project along with a number of donors.
Superintendent Dr. Jarrod Burns calls it a trend-setting classroom.
“There are very few school corporations at this grade level that have – and I would even say a lot of the high schools – don’t have this level of interaction,” Burns said. “Yes, they may have bigger robotics programs, but this is all student-centered, student-led.”
The estimated price tag for the project is $150,000.
