Incoming freshmen at Lyons Middle/Senior High School have two weeks to use science to solve the mystery of a kidnapped fox, then participate in a mock trial to make a case for or against the person they determine was the villain.
They looked at evidence that included fingerprints, footprints, DNA and a mystery metal, as well as interviewing potential suspects. A police officer offered tips on crime scene investigation, while a prosecutor will help with their trial preparation.
Students at St. Vrain Valley’s Innovation Center got a hands-on lesson this week in artificial intelligence as they learned to program a DeepRacer self-driving car, then tested them on a large track.
“You learn by doing,” said Dominic Herrera, a Longmont High School incoming sophomore. “It’s race cars. It’s competitive. I signed up for the race cars, and I got the key to how to program an AI. It’s cool. You feel like a mastermind.”
As Christine Sparks adjusted some finicky lab equipment for an experiment on solubility, she shared a story with fellow AP chemistry teachers about a similar experiment that went wrong in one of her Lakewood High School classes.
Going into her sixth year as an AP chemistry teacher, Sparks said she signed up for this week’s AP for All Summer Institute at Erie High School “to brush up on my skills.”
About 40 middle and high school students are spending the week exploring many aspects of music at St. Vrain Valley’s Innovation Center, from playing classical music to composing with GarageBand software to learning about the music business.
Tom Darcy, director of advanced technologies and innovation, said the new Composing Innovation summer camp was designed to appeal to both musicians and students interested in other areas of music, including technology and business.
The St. Vrain Valley School District recently received a three year, $7 million state Opportunity Now grant to invest in career pathways with three other school districts, focusing on education, advanced manufacturing and information technology.
“We have found that providing students with career exploration is what really ignites their passions,” said St. Vrain Chief Academic Officer Diane Lauer. “It makes such a strong connection between what they’re learning in their academic classes to the real world. We have been adding various pathways layer by layer. When we saw this opportunity, we were excited to see how we could scale the work that we’re already doing.”
The Innovation Center’s Aeronautics program has been granted a remarkable opportunity to further enhance its curriculum. With a commitment to staying relevant and preparing students for the best career prospects, the program has continually invested in new technology and equipment. This summer, the program secured a $60,000 grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation to acquire and implement a cutting-edge LiDAR system, a highly precise remote sensing tool. This addition will provide students with the opportunity to learn and work with state-of-the-art technology while collaborating with real-world clients.
Axel Reitzig, Executive Director of Innovation, expressed his enthusiasm for the grant and the inclusion of LiDAR technology, stating, “We are thrilled to receive this grant and bring LiDAR into our Aeronautics program. This advanced technology will provide our students with unparalleled opportunities to explore autonomous flight missions and work on projects for industry partners, preparing them for the future of aviation and aeronautics.”
Since its expansion into aeronautics programming in 2017, the Innovation Center has witnessed exponential growth. Beginning with a small unmanned aerial systems (UAS) after-school program, the aeronautics pathway has evolved to offer two distinct tracks: a UAS pathway comprising five courses and a pilot pathway consisting of six courses. These pathways have attracted a significant enrollment of approximately 394 students projected for the upcoming 2023-24 academic year.
LiDAR technology has rapidly gained prominence in industries such as construction, mining, forestry, natural sciences, land management, conservation, and mapping due to its exceptional precision and accuracy. By incorporating LiDAR into the curriculum, the Innovation Center ensures that its students are well-prepared for the future, where LiDAR is expected to become the gold standard for mapping. With the grant funding, students will not only learn to program autonomous flight missions using LiDAR but will also have the opportunity to collaborate with clients like FCI Construction, gaining real-world experience and insights. By integrating this cutting-edge technology into the Aeronautics program, students will be at the forefront of industry advancements, gaining hands-on experience and developing skills that will set them apart in their careers.
The 38th annual Sunrise Stampede 5K and fun run will be held Aug. 12 in Longmont to raise money for teachers in the St. Vrain Valley School District.
The course for both the 5K race and 1-mile fun run begins and ends at Silver Creek High School, 4901 Nelson Road. The St. Vrain Valley Schools Education Foundation puts on the race each summer to kick off the school year and support SVVSD Special Education and Mental Health Teacher Innovation grants.
Many St. Vrain Valley students are getting an extra dose of school this summer through the district’s annual “Project Launch” program, with a goal of boosting their confidence and background knowledge.
Project Launch is operating at 17 elementary school sites plus a virtual option this month, extending the school year by four weeks for about 2,400 elementary students. Another 900 incoming middle school students also are attending the secondary version of the program. Altogether, the district hired about 200 teachers for the program.
Erie High School sophomores Vanicia Thomas (left) and Sebastian Delgado Martinez (right) compete with the Innovation Center Aquatic Robotics team.
The Aquatics Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools recently served as a hub of innovation and creativity as it hosted the highly anticipated MATE World Championships. From June 22 to 24, this prestigious event brought together students from across the globe to demonstrate their remarkable talents and achievements in the field of underwater robotics. Beyond the showcases of competition and technical prowess, the championships served as a transformative platform, fostering cross-cultural understanding, collaboration, and the formation of lifelong friendships.
The journey to host the World Championships began over a year ago when the Innovation Center recognized the potential of the district’s brand new Aquatic Center. Equally important was the incredible work being done by students within the district, particularly in the areas of conservation, robotics, and real-life experiences. This combination set the stage for a truly extraordinary event.
Nate Wilcox, a passionate teacher and advocate for education and robotics, spoke highly of the MATE ROV Competition, which focuses on real-world applications. “Students competing in the event had to think like entrepreneurs and engineers, utilizing their skills in computer science, electromechanical engineering, fabrication, design, and communication to build the best remotely operated vehicles (ROVs),” said Wilcox. “The competition’s multidisciplinary approach encouraged students to demonstrate their abilities not only in technical aspects but also in marketing, safety documentation, corporate responsibility, and engineering presentations.”
The impact of the MATE World Championships reached far beyond the competition itself. Oceans, responsible for at least 50% of the world’s oxygen and with a significant influence on the global climate, affect every individual, regardless of their geographical location. Even land-locked regions like Colorado have valuable use cases that impact lakes, reservoirs, rivers, and ponds. The competition highlighted the importance of preserving and understanding these bodies of water, raising awareness among participants about the significance of environmental stewardship.
The event also provided an invaluable opportunity for students to connect on a global scale. Vanicia Thomas, a sophomore at Erie High School, described her life-changing experience as a member of the Innovation Center Aquatic Robotics team, “Starting from ground one, the team built their robot together, regardless of prior experience.” During the World Championships, Thomas had the chance to meet students from Egypt, who were experiencing their first trip outside their country. Despite the competitive nature of the event, Thomas extended her hand in friendship, “It was just so amazing because we’re all the same grade and we all have similar hobbies. The only thing is that they live millions of miles away from us. The team from Egypt is coming over to dinner and we’re going to go on a hike in Boulder.” The bond formed between students from different parts of the world, who shared similar interests, showcased the power of robotics in breaking down barriers and fostering understanding.
Sebastian Delgado Martinez, another student from Erie High School and on the Innovation Center team, echoed Thomas’ sentiments, “The other teams were all really nice and even though they were the competition, they helped us when we suffered troubles during the matches.” This sense of collaboration and sportsmanship demonstrated the true essence of the robotics community. He emphasized the remarkable connections forged during the event. Meeting people from different countries who shared the same interests was a truly enlightening experience.
The success of the MATE World Championships extended beyond the competition floor. It was a testament to the outstanding collaboration within the St. Vrain Valley School District. The district’s commitment to supporting the event, the Innovation Center, Silver Creek High School (where the Aquatics Center is located), the many departments supporting the event, and the participating students was evident. Their willingness to work together across departments showcased a culture of collaboration, where individuals provided critical value to the community.
Over 60 teams from 11 countries and 18 U.S. states converged at the Aquatic Center of St. Vrain Valley Schools, creating a sense of pride and honor within the local community as this district served as host to the international participants.The event allowed the work done at the Innovation Center and in the district to shine on a global stage, demonstrating the power of public education. The exposure to universities, after-school programs, and other high schools reinforced the district’s commitment to excellence in education.
The MATE World Championships not only celebrated the achievements of the brightest young minds in underwater robotics but also acted as a catalyst for building bridges across borders and empowering students to become compassionate, collaborative, and globally aware citizens of the future.
To find out more about MATE, please visit https://materovcompetition.org/
To see the full album of pictures, please visit stvra.in/matephotos2023
High school and college students from around the world are spending three days at Longmont’s Silver Creek High School for an underwater robotics competition showcasing how remotely operated vehicles can operate in the real world.
Altogether, about 60 teams are participating from 11 countries and 18 U.S. states. Along with St. Vrain’s Innovation Center team, local participants include teams from Boulder High School, the University of Colorado Boulder and the Colorado School of Mines.
