Presented original work to 500 industry professionals

Students from the Milford Public Schools joined peers from across Massachusetts on May 8th at the One8 Applied Learning Student Showcase, held at the TRACK at New Balance in Boston. The event brought together students in grades 4-12 to present Applied Learning work to more than 500 STEM industry professionals who provided real-time feedback.

(L to R) Milford High School seniors Anthony Norris and Tony Huynh, along with Paulo Fernandes (not pictured), were awarded a ‘Project of Distinction’ for their Haptic Keyboard. Photo source: Milford Public Schools

"Milford students in Grades K-12 are heavily involved in STEM education and applied learning, whether in year-round STEM courses and OpenSciED science curriculum units at the elementary level, various Project Lead the Way units of study in Science and STEM classes at Stacy Middle School, or Science electives and career pathway courses at Milford High School," said Ms. Kerry Taylor, Deputy Superintendent for Instruction and Student Services. “This showcase was an amazing opportunity for some of our students to show off what they have been learning and doing in class, while also seeing the opportunities and industries that might be available to them in the future.”

The Milford Schools were represented by student teams from Woodland Elementary School, Stacy Middle School, and Milford High School. Students shared learning they had completed as part of their courses and curriculum using Project Lead The Way and OpenSciEd. During the school year, these students tackled real-world challenges, from designing clean energy solutions to engineering adaptive technology, and at the Applied Learning Student Showcase, they had the chance to share what they built and learned with professionals working in related fields.

The Milford Public Schools is extremely proud to share that two Milford Public Schools’ projects were awarded “Projects of Distinction” at the showcase: one from Stacy Middle School and one from Milford High School. 

Stacy Middle School 

For the first time since adopting the OpenSciEd curriculum, Stacy Middle School students received the Project of Distinction recognition for their hard work. Sixth graders Ryder Rebecchi, Liam Cunningham, and Kellan KokEnnen from Ms. Megan Burke’s Science class showcased their “How Does Sound Affect Matter?” project and impressed industry professionals with their knowledge of content and their application of the content to explain subjects they were curious about.

Milford High School

Milford High School also had a team recognized by the judges. Seniors Tony Huynh, Paulo Fernandes, and Anthony Norris in the PLTW: Engineering Design and Development class with teacher Mr. Robert Knapp created a Haptic Keyboard, earning themselves the PLTW Capstone Project of Distinction Award. The project they designed and engineered is a keyboard that uses input filtering and haptics to allow people with neurological disorders to type more efficiently. They designed and engineered a project that shows great technological promise while increasing access and inclusion for those with a disability or medical condition.

"Creative solutions to the world's most pressing problems is what Massachusetts does best. The One8 Foundation's Applied Learning Student Showcase is shining a light on how our students are solving real world challenges and building their future success," said Governor Maura Healey. "We're thankful for the educators and the industry experts who supported this year's showcase, and we're thrilled that so many students from school districts across the state were able to take part in this incredible program."

“I’ve witnessed Applied Learning at multiple school districts where students are not just learning content, but using it in authentic ways,” said Massachusetts Education Secretary Steve Zrike. “One8’s Applied Learning Showcase was an opportunity to see how students across Massachusetts are benefitting from rigorous learning that is relevant, engaging, and connected to the world beyond the classroom.”

The Student Showcase is an annual event for Applied Learning programs across Massachusetts, giving students an authentic audience for the project- and inquiry-based work they do in the classroom. Industry volunteers engaged teams in conversation about their process, their products, and the tools they used. Drawn from fields including engineering, medicine, finance, law, design, computer science, and public policy, industry volunteers circulated among student tables - asking questions and offering both verbal and written feedback. The event is organized by One8 Foundation's Applied Learning Hub, which supports schools across the state focused on Applied Learning.