Another successful year for Abbi Richcreek, Edgewood Middle School PLTW teacher, her students, volunteers, donors, and the recipient families!
On Friday, May 7, 2021 Abbi Richcreek and her Edgewood Middle School students with their engineering mentors presented five 12-volt vehicles to five deserving families. This project is incredibly impactful on multiple levels. First, recipient families in Kosciusko county with children who have a mobility limitation are embraced as Edgewood students investigate, research, design, and build a unique customized vehicle to give each child increased opportunities to participate in activities with their peers, siblings, and family. This is a quintessential inclusivity pillar project that truly embraces Warsaw Community Schools’ strategic plan to develop inclusive learning environments.
Second, students in Abbi Richcreek’s GoBabyGo! club learn what it means to give their time and talent to improve the lives of others. This club meets after school so students, and their families, must dedicate their free-time to commit to this community service project. Not only do these middle school students learn valuable technology design skills, they leave with more empathy, and a greater sense of purpose.
Third, Abbi Richcreek reaches out to local businesses to raise funds and to involve individuals as volunteer engineer mentors. This is a win-win for those who donate financially and for those who invest their time as mentors. The sense of doing something that really matters is priceless. Additionally, this project grew to include Mr. Huffer’s students at WCHS who built a storage unit for a family.
Now that the vehicles have new homes with five toddlers, Abbi Richcreek and her students are on to the next project that also falls under the inclusivity pillar of the Warsaw Community Schools’ strategic plan. Edgewood Middle School students are creating an inclusivity welcome pole that will be installed in front of the school. Abbi Richcreek trained students to use tools and equipment in the Project Lead the Way (PLTW) STEM lab. Students will then paint the boards that are inscribed with the word welcome in 24 different languages. On behalf of the inclusivity team, thanks go out to all involved in this project.
The public is invited to nominate a WCS staff member or student who exemplified the inclusivity commitment to welcome, celebrate, and empower all people. Please go to https://www.warsawschools.org/page/strategic-plan-inclusivity to make a nomination so WCS can recognize individuals and groups who contribute to the mission.
#wcsmission #ForwardTogether
GoBabyGo: W N D U News Report
