The three conference rooms at the James Kaden Administrative Offices were filled with Legos, robots, 3D printers, chromebooks, and tech-savvy science students from all seven South Huntington schools eager to demonstrate their creations for the district’s inaugural Technology and Innovation Showcase on Thursday, February 5th. More than a science fair - no baking soda and vinegar volcanoes here - this was for students with a passion for technology, whether it’s “low-tech” or “high-tech.” 

 

The district’s Supervisor of Educational Technology, Dr. Marlee Rice, organized the showcase. “We wanted an opportunity for students to show the fun things that they're doing with technology in the classroom. And show what students can learn starting in kindergarten,” explained Dr. Rice. “So much is happening behind the scenes and we want an opportunity for students to learn about technology. But ultimately, let's use technology to create a more equitable learning environment and really just kind of shine a light on the area.”

 

Teachers in each one of our seven schools were asked to nominate up to ten students who have demonstrated their creativity, engineering skills, or digital literacy skills - everything from building with Legos or blocks, to coding, to podcasting, to creating skill games with recycled cardboard, to 3D printing. 

 

Jackson, a 5th grader from Maplewood, loves designing for 3D printing. He also loves the whole “six-seven” meme, so Jackson designed a “67” character with the outstretched “weighing” or “balancing” hand gesture that’s typically used when saying “6-7.”  He then printed it out on his 3D printer and gave the funny character to some friends as a holiday gift. 

 

Mari Hahn, Supervisor of Data and STEAM Initiatives for South Huntington and self-admitted “science geek,” said students are excited about using technology because it can be broadly applied to almost anything they love. “You can apply this to a literature piece that you really love. or doing a podcast on the environment. I've seen so many amazing things here that I wouldn't see in a science classroom. And so it just broadens everything and opens it up to anybody who wants to get involved and who has a passion,” said Ms. Hahn. 

 

Walt Whitman senior Enoch Lawrence Adjahoe has a passion for aviation; not flying aircraft but designing them. As a student in Whitman’s Science Research Program and the high school’s Computer Science Engineering class, he’s currently trying to design an electric aircraft that can take off and land vertically. “Basically it's a plane that takes off and then flies away using energy collection. It can take off anywhere in the world, no runway needed,” explained Enoch. He’s become quite proficient at using his 3D printer to create the parts he needs for his research. As advanced as his project is, Enoch was amazed by the projects he saw the younger kids were already capable of doing.

 

“We want kids getting inspired by each other, and it's so fun because the high school kids were looking at the 3D printed pieces from the younger kids and talking about how they weren’t able to do that when they were little. So for the older kids they're seeing what the little guys can do now and for the little guys it's just so exciting to see what their future is,” explained Ms. Hahn. 

 

While students may love all the ways they can use technology in school, including AI, a good percentage of parents have concerns when it comes to the impact it may have on students’ academics, social skills, and social-emotional wellbeing. South Huntington educators say this showcase is one way to keep parents updated on what their children are doing with technology. 

 

Maplewood Intermediate School’s Educational Technology teacher Janine D’Elia says it’s not just about educating children how to use technology, but also educating the parents and the community. “AI can help with productivity, help with design, help with digital content. AI literacy is going to be one of the skills that our students will have to have on their resume when they're ready to go into whatever job or college, whereas you and I, we didn't have to have that. So I think showcasing it and showing them how it's useful and beneficial doesn't take away from their learning. It's taking their brain and the AI bringing it together. It's those two tools together,” said Ms. D’Elia.

 

But Mari Hahn says it’s important not to forget that sometimes it can be best to do things the “old-fashioned” way. “There are times when you just need to send a paper explanation home in a backpack. Because parents are overwhelmed and we know parents are overwhelmed with getting messages all the time. There's so much stuff to read online. So we need to have kids talking to their parents. We need to be talking to parents. We need to meet parents where they are.”

 

 

Students from Stimson Middle School presented their digital projects to parents in the Leadership Conference Room at JKAO. 

 

 

Designing 3D printed creations is espcially popular in our younger grade levels. 

 

 

In the Heritage Room, this student excitedly presented her project to parents and teachers using a touch screen Smart Board. 

 

 

Members of Walt Whitman’s Video Yearbook Club were present at the event to show how they use technology to film, edit, and create memories for the high school’s graduating class.