I am full of ideas from my recent interview with Darcy Coffta. She is the director of Berwick Academy's innovation center.
This is a screenshot from Berwick's website that does a great job of outlining the variety of options students have for interacting with the innovation center.
Today I interviewed the Director of Berwick Academy’s Innovation Center and was energized by opportunities for interdisciplinary learning. She invited me to be a panelist for the innovation center's presentations in late April. This will occur just after the end of our spring semester at Columbia University's Teachers College but I will make one final post updating you on my experience.
Here are a few excerpts from my interview notes:
Q: When did Berwick’s Innovation Center begin?
A: The idea started when Darcy went to a conference at Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Massachusetts. This experience inspired Darcy to begin researching best practices for creating an innovation center. The next year they began Berwick’s first innovation projects. In 2013 Berwick’s Innovation Center won a $35,000 grant through the Follet Challenge. They have been expanding ever since!
Q: There have been a lot of additions to the innovation programs at Berwick. What are some of your favorites?
A: The Digital Design Classroom is perfect for learning about digital photography, E music and coding. The Fabrication Studio has a CNC router which is a favourite for physics students working on the famed egg drop project. The 3D printer and the laser cutter really help students to take that project to the next level. The Hub is great for presentations!
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