Courtesy of Whit McGhee
VHEC Principal Marian Humphries and Assistant Principal Lorie Belski with fourth and fifth grade students.
A grant from Walmart is going toward improved technology at Vestavia Hills Elementary Central.
The Walmart Community Grants Team and Walmart Neighborhood Market in Vestavia recently awarded Central $1,000.
Last year, VHEC transformed its computer lab into a 21st century learning space called Central P.A.R.K., which stands for Positive Atmosphere Reaches Kids. This year, the school hopes to merge Central P.A.R.K. and the VHEC Media Center into a Makerspace. The Makerspace will provide a setting for Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) can be implemented.
The NGSS model shifts the classroom dynamic from a teacher standing and talking in front of a class to that teacher encouraging students to ask questions, develop explanations and do research to test their ideas.
The $1,000 grant will help purchase tools to make connections to a real world and hands-on learning experience. A goal is to help build more students’ interest in science.
