Lake Forest Country Day School Shares New Innovation Lab with Neighboring School

Lake Forest Country Day School has put a different twist on STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) education and STEM inspired activities. By partnering with local corporate sponsors, LFCDS has invested money and human capital into developing a state-of-the art Innovation Lab that allows for students to submit their own proposals and conduct their own experiments. Tied to this grass-roots approach to innovation is a vision to offer activities and instruction as outreach to a neighboring community whose schools are seriously under-resourced.

After LFCDS set aside a space for the new Innovation Lab, the idea that put it into motion came from a simple question that LFCDS faculty members addressed to middle school students: “What if?” Inspired by the freedom to create, fifty-two students submitted design plans for the lab, and a composite of these plans was used to create this space for science and math-related activities and experiments. Students addressed overall themes for use of the lab, and for the tools and supplies needed to support construction, textiles, film production, art, communications, and electronics—just some of the many technological outlets this lab is capable of maintaining. By reaching out and partnering with corporate sponsors, LFCDS has acquired the funds necessary to provision the lab with the suggested infrastructure.

While LFCDS students are enjoying and reaping the benefits from their lab, integral to the School’s original mission and vision of the STEM lab was to share this creative space with other schools. In this case, LFCDS has chosen to partner with North Chicago Community Partners (N.C.C.P.). N.C.C.P. was founded in 2008 and is a privately funded foundation that works selflessly to support the under-resourced schools in the community of North Chicago, just four miles north of Lake Forest Country Day School.

When considering the sharing outlets for the Lab, LFCDS was simultaneously hosting a Lego Robotics qualifying event in the winter, and faculty observed teams taking part in the competition from varying socio-economic backgrounds. Faculty members again considered the question, “What If?” They thought, “What if we could make these kinds of opportunities available to surrounding communities year round?” Thus, a partnership was born with N.C.C.P. to help address the significant challenges facing the children and families of North Chicago.

N.C.C.P. has evolved into a vibrant organization that has brought the “community school model” to five North Chicago public schools. Most significantly, the “community school model” extends the school day and provides enrichment opportunities. This year, LFCDS sixth- and seventh-grade students are partnering with second- and third-grade students from Forrestal Elementary School in North Chicago. The Forrestal students participate in N.C.C.P.’s After School Enrichment Program. While this program is a pilot initiative, N.C.C.P. plans to expand full partnership into the 2014-2015 school year.  

With the overarching theme of “connecting communities through innovation” in mind, LFCDS students are getting involved and mentoring children on a one-to-one basis through science and discovery, thus ensuring that the LFCDS Innovation Lab is not only providing unique opportunities for our own students but also demonstrating, through student initiative, that the lab can be service-oriented. It is a win-win-win for all involved, especially the students, whose faces light up with joy and excitement when they engage with the lab. It is clear that the old maxim “a picture is worth a thousand words” has never been truer.

Indeed, the LFCDS students fed off of a dream and a vision, helped to create the Innovation Lab, and are now hoping next year to take their efforts to another level. Their goal is to host and sponsor a robotics team from North Chicago in regional and state competition. Regardless, all of the students will be the beneficiaries of the very best in 21st century thinking and the application of STEM related skills with this new lab, and program.