Past projects 4
VCPCS Store Fun(d) 1
Funded Mar 22, 2023We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude for your generous contribution to our VCPCS Store through the Positive Behavior Intervention System (PBIS). Your support has had a remarkable impact on our middle school students' behavior and motivation over the past year. Thanks to your funding, our VCPCS Store became a hub of positive reinforcement, allowing students to exchange their hard-earned VCPCS Bucks for exciting prizes like Legos, beauty items, and sports equipment.
The VCPCS Store not only served as an incentive for our students to exhibit positive behaviors but also provided valuable lessons in saving and budgeting. Nearly 40% of our Junior High students participated in the store each week, and the enthusiasm for earning and spending VCPCS Bucks was palpable throughout the school. Furthermore, it was a truly student-run initiative, with our 8th graders taking on responsibilities such as gathering inventory ideas, store marketing, checkout processes, and billing, fostering leadership and entrepreneurial skills. Your contribution to this program made the last school year an exciting and rewarding experience for our students. Your support has made a lasting impact on our school community, and we are immensely grateful for your belief in our mission.
Thank you for helping us celebrate and reward our students' successes, making their educational journey at KIPP VCPCS even more meaningful.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tandriarto
Building Out a Makerspace
Funded Apr 4, 2023I am writing to express our sincere appreciation for enhancing our Makerspace classroom. The iLab has been a hub of creativity and innovation for all 270 of our students, fostering a culture of making and exploration. Your generous contribution has played a pivotal role in replenishing and upgrading our tools and materials, allowing our students to continue making what truly matters.
With your support, we were able to provide our students with a dedicated laptop for 2D and 3D printing, streamlining the design process and enabling them to bring their ideas to life more efficiently. Additionally, your funds empowered our students to design original board games and construct incredible roller coasters, encouraging them to think critically and creatively. Know that your donation had a direct and lasting impact on our students' ability to explore their creativity and develop vital problem-solving skills. We are excited about the opportunities this will create for our young makers and are immensely grateful for your commitment to their educational journey.
Thank you for believing in our motto, "Make what matters," and for investing in our students' futures. Your generosity will inspire and empower the next generation of innovators, and we look forward to showcasing their incredible creations as a testament to your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tandriarto
Provide Quality Resources
Funded May 19, 2023I am writing to express our heartfelt gratitude supporting STEM education in our makerspace. Your generous donation has the potential to make a profound impact on our students' educational journey and inspire a lifelong love for all things STEM and makerspace!
With your support, we were able to provide our students with engaging hands-on experiments and explore the wonders of STEM in a meaningful way. These resources will not only enhance their understanding of STEM concepts but also foster critical thinking and problem-solving skills. I am confident that we can empower our future scientists, engineers, and innovators, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Once again, thank you for your commitment to education and for investing in the future of our students. Your generosity will have a lasting impact, and we can't wait to see the transformation in our students' learning experiences.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tandriarto
Full STEAM Ahead: Starting a Makerspace Lab
Funded Jun 22, 2021What a start to the year! iLab welcomed 120 students from 5th through 8th grade in mid-August and it's been a non-stop train of creativity and fun. Seeing all of your names, from old friends to kind strangers, meant so much to me. Thank you for coming together and supporting our students in our endeavor.
In this first year of building out our makerspace class, we are working on building hard skills (3D printing, 2D design, sewing), soft skills (collaboration, perseverance, empathy), and creative confidence in all of our students. Students started off the first week back from remote learning practicing empathy by creating buttons for each other. They interviewed a partner chosen at random and designed a button for their partner using collaged papers. The buttons had to meet a unique criteria: buttons needed to be creative and personalized enough to be showcased on their partner's backpack. I'm attaching some pictures of students' creations as they were so proud of their work. Some button-receivers still wear their buttons on their jackets or backpacks even two months into school!
Our iLab classes then moved on to creating LED cards for someone who is going through a tough time. They learned about simple circuits and practiced their collaboration skills by helping each other light the LED. The pictures include some of the "brightest" projects. Let me know your favorite and I'll let the student know!
We are currently working on our makerspace badges, where students learn "hard" skills (e.g. 3D printing) and complete various projects to demonstrate their mastery of the skill. As you can hear from the interviews, our students are MOST excited about the 3D printers. They have to complete 2 badges before they get the privilege of using the printers. They BLAST through those badges so they can finally work on their 3D projects. Every time I turn on the printers to make their projects, they run over to the printer corner to see their projects made in real time. I'm not exactly sure what it is about a machine printing their creations, but middle schoolers think it's absolutely magical!
I hope you get a chance to hear the second video with Cinthia, a fifth grader at Valiant. You can hear the chatter of our class, pretty much how our classes work everyday. Students are creating, making, and collaborating with one another. I am merely the facilitator of the classroom, and students can fully teach themselves these skills. Students are helping one another complete the badges, teach each other the skills, and create alongside their peers.
Thank you for helping give Valiant students the opportunity to create. Your support is already showing impact at our school!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Tandriarto