Proudly displaying their work on their “Aims City” creation recently are (left to right) Nathan Santos, David Fisher, Bailey Alewine, Steven Prince and Michael Perez. District middle school summer school students created 3-D mock-ups of the idealized cities they envisioned and one of the session’s final days saw almost 20 teams exhibit their work for judges’ assessments. (Photo by Jim Cullen)
by SARAH SCHMERBER
Special to the Hays Free Press
Hays CISD Summer School Middle School showcased students’ Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) 3-D city projects as school wound down its final week. The STEM acronym is meant for projects that are driven by problem-solving, discovery, and exploratory learning – and which require students to actively engage in a problem or situation in order find its solution.
Students were asked to redesign and improve their city. In doing so, they increased their geospatial knowledge, gained an understanding of the inner workings of a city, and learned why and how certain things happen in a city. They were truly resourceful in this endeavor and engaged in countless hours on what things draw people into a city and what things push people out of certain areas of a city.
Students from all five of the district’s middle schools participated. It was evident in their finished products that students learned many things from each other including the art of negotiation, understanding, and commitment to a common goal.
Special thanks go to our judges who took time out of their busy schedules and came to our summer location, Simon Middle School, to evaluate the city projects. Their assessments gave the projects that much more meaning and ensured that the activity was a success. Our judges included HCISD School Board Trustee Marty Kanetzky, Simon Middle School Principal Michelle Chae, Dahlstrom Middle School Principal Dr. Sara Thurman, City of Kyle Assistant City Manager James Earp and Director of Communications Jerry Hendrix, and the entire summer school staff. Their commitment to education is greatly appreciated.
