MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The West Virginia Public Education Collaborative is celebrating the 10th year of the statewide Remake Learning Days festival through May 25.
WVPEC Program Specialist Canyon Lohnas said the Mountain State has been a part of the hands-on learning event since the very first festival back in 2016. Hundreds of kids will engage with professionals from different cultures and disciplines to learn practical problem-solving concepts while being exposed to processes and experiences.
“West Virginia has been part of the “Remake Learning Days” movement since its’ inception 10 years ago,” Lohnas said on WAJR’s “Talk of the Town.” “We worked with southwestern Pennsylvania and Remake Learning, which is headquartered in Pittsburgh, to kick off the festival.”
Some of the events included are learning about kale in Raleigh County, a showcase of the students from St. Peter and Paul Catholic School in Oak Hill called TechXplore, and learning about “Plants That Bite Back” at the Peterson-Central Elementary School in Weston.
“Beekeeping, like we’re going to see at Eastwood Elementary School, or soil presentations at the Bridgeport Library,” Lohnas said. “So, we have a lot of events, and all of them include some opportunity for kids to get their hands dirty and start learning together.”
Schools, libraries, museums, and parks will facilitate hands-on learning challenges to get kids to create innovative solutions to actual problems. Statistics show kids learn and retain more when engaged in a hands-on environment.
“They are solving real-world problems; they are taking learning outside of the classroom and engaging with professionals, whether it be local businesses or other community groups doing the work out there in the area,” Lohnas said.
The events range in size and level of engagement but are open to all students. Remake Learning Days is one of the largest open houses of hands-on learning and a resource for educators and parents as well.
“We’ll have well over 100 kids, like in Mineral County, at the “Shipper STEAM Days at the Potomac State College Library and smaller events of 10 to 15 that really give kids the opportunity to interact with the people leading the event.”
Each event is designed in an age-appropriate way to present graduated challenges as students participate year over year. The events eliminate the fear of taking things apart and putting them back together, learning about nature, and developing leadership.
“It could start with beekeeping in the third grade, but by the time they are seniors in high school, that experience may have inspired them to pursue a major in biology or wildlife sciences as they prepare to pursue college and enter the workforce.”