BUENA PARK, CA – Emery School and Beatty Middle School will boost interest in engineering and coding by adding robotics kits and a 3-D printer into their curriculum, thanks to two grants from the Buena Park School District Education Foundation.

Emery School teachers Gil Kim, Ana Ngo, Becky August, Jennifer Schell and Esther Lee were awarded funds to purchase a Hummingbird Bit Classroom bundle for their school, which comes with 12 robot kits and tools. Career Technical Educator Shelley Andros was awarded funds for a 3-D printer for Beatty Middle School’s science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) lab to teach computer-aided design (CAD).

“Students will learn how to use a CAD-type program and create the actual design through the use of the 3-D printer,” Andros said. “My goal is to provide the tools and opportunities for my students and back out of their way as they create and discover innovations for our future, using coding, robotics and technologies like a 3-D printer to accomplish their goal.”

Andros said she is training on ways to incorporate the 3-D printer into the classroom when students are allowed back on campus.

“The Hummingbird Bit Classroom bundle is a physical engineering system that will spark imagination, creativity, and innovation in our students,” said Kim, an Emery School first- and second-grade teacher. “This program will provide a stepping stone to our two middle school’s robotics and coding programs.”

Ngo, an Emery School second-grade teacher, said she and her colleagues are excited for students to learn robotics and computer programming languages such as Scratch, BirdBox, Snap!, Python and Java.

“We are proud of our grant winning teachers for their efforts in encouraging more ways to bring STEAM learning into Buena Park School District,” Superintendent Dr. Ramon Miramontes said. “This new equipment will boost engineering, critical thinking and problem-solving skills in our students.”

PHOTO CAPTIONS:

BUENAPARK_GRANT1: (Left to right) Emery School teachers Esther Lee, Becky August, Gil Kim, Jennifer Schell and Ana Ngo thank the Buena Park School District Education Foundation for a grant that will allow them to buy a Hummingbird Bit Classroom bundle for students.

BUENAPARK_GRANT2: Career Technical Educator Shelley Andros holds a grant letter from the Buena Park School District Education Foundation that approves her request for funds to buy a 3-D printer and materials for Beatty Middle School.