Intergenerational technology education project connects students and schools

Inspired by a donation from UGI Utilities, Inc., the Cocalico High School’s Technology Education Department designed projects focused on getting elementary students excited for technology education in their later years of schooling. During the 2020-21 school year, Mr. Greg Buck, CHS teacher, and a group of students from the high school took prefabricated materials, tools, and hardware to Denver Elementary to build bird houses with first graders. The activity was not only a hit with the kids but the teachers and parents as well!

This first project motivated the Technology Education Department to expand the intergenerational project for 2021-22. In November 2021, third graders from each elementary school traveled to the high school to work with technology education students. The students constructed a Cocalico lantern utilizing skills from all high school technology education course offerings. They pulled stickers created in the graphics lab, cut wood to size in the wood lab, and assembled items using hardware in the engineering lab. Additionally, the students showed off their final projects in front of TV cameras in the television production studios.

Every third grader took home a Cocalico themed lantern and incredible memories spent with their high school student mentors. This is an activity that surely inspired and supported STEM learning for our elementary students!