This year, discoverED brought together more than 15,000 students for hands-on learning and friendship

All photos by Ben Filio for Remake Learning.

Joyful noise filled a cavernous room at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on May 6, as more than 400 second-graders from school districts throughout southwestern Pennsylvania gathered for the annual discoverED event.

These Pittsburgh-area students were part of an even larger group — a total of 15,760 kids, statewide — who worked together in-person and virtually that day to complete a hands-on learning project.

A centerpiece of the Remake Learning Days festival, discoverED has been bringing students together for a decade. The premise is simple, but powerful: Pair up young students from different schools, giving them a chance to get to know one another while tackling a creative challenge together.

During the morning, Pittsburgh-area students met in small groups — some visiting an unfamiliar school, while others remain in their usual classroom hosting visitors from elsewhere. Then all of the students were brought together in the afternoon for the massive, hands-on learning gathering and celebration at the Convention Center.

With a shared creative task to accomplish, the children were given materials to work with and space to use their imaginations.

The result? Friendships forged between kids from different communities and a first-hand experience of just how joyful and communal learning can be.

COMMUNITY AND CREATIVITY

“This event really exemplifies the innate nature of learning — how they jump in and enjoy it,” says Tyler Samstag, executive director of Remake Learning. “It’s a really joyful learning opportunity.”

Stephanie Lewis, Remake Learning’s director of relationships, agrees that discoverED infuses STEM learning with fun: “It brings to the kids that spark and joy of learning,” she says. “The kids know, ‘I’m not in my everyday setting. I’m somewhere new. I see new faces. I get to touch and experience things.’ Seeing that light — that spark inside of them — is the best part.”

In past years, STEM learning challenges have included building rockets and constructing enormous marble mazes. This year, the students were given the task of designing and building tiny bridges — the sort that a salamander might use to safely cross a road — out of toothpicks, mini-marshmallows and tape.

“Seeing the kids from different schools work together is super-cute. But more than being cute, it’s about communicating together and collaborating and cooperating,” says Remake Learning Days co-producer Dorie Taylor. “It’s really exciting to be able to have the classroom exchange. It’s great to see them working together and this year’s challenge of building bridges is so perfect.”

LEARNING FROM EACH OTHER

When students arrived at the Convention Center, they were shown their materials and had time to begin sketching out possible bridge designs on paper. In small groups, they began building their bridges.

Then, to help them grasp the concepts of iteration, collaboration and problem-solving, they were given time to check out the designs done by other groups of students. They compared designs, asking other kids why they made certain choices, and began to see how they might want to modify their own designs.

The groups working virtually had the same experience, collaborating over video calls to build their bridges.

discoverED became a fully virtual event during the pandemic. For the first time in five years, the organizers were able to add back the in-person component this year.

“It really illustrates that technology opens up access. We have nearly 16,000 students participating virtually all over the state,” Samstag says. “Last year Johnstown and Duquesne City forged a real connection between their two areas, even though they’re hours away from one another. Technology is really incredible, but I think this experience at the Convention Center also illustrates how important being in person and making these in-person connections can be. The in-person element is really powerful.”

How did the kids feel about the event? A group of young students from Mt. Lebanon School District were eager to share their thoughts as they completed their bridges: “I liked that they gave us the tools and didn’t give us directions, so we could be creative,” one student said. “You could use everything.”

They also appreciated the chance to meet students from other communities. “I liked how we went to different schools and did an activity,” another Mt. Lebanon student said. “I really liked how all the schools get to see another school and see, like, everybody else, and then all just come all together to do our projects.”

The teachers, too, had a chance to meet colleagues from other districts.

“We’re a county with a lot of different schools and they’re all very, very different. I just love coming here and finding some common ground with all of the teachers and the kids, and seeing them all interact with each other,” says Dr. Chris Caton, director of curriculum and assessment at Northgate School District.

Northgate partnered this year with Avonworth School District, an experience that Avonworth Primary Center 2nd-grade teacher Meghan Greiner found valuable: “Northgate is our neighboring district, but our kids don’t know a lot about them,” she says. “So it was a nice opportunity to see their school, meet them and work with them.”

Greiner also found that the tactile experience of the bridge-building challenge was perfect for her students.

“It’s been a great opportunity to see the students work hands-on. I think it lets them excel in areas that we don’t always get to do in the classroom,” she says. “So many of them are so great with building, but could struggle with reading. So it gives that person a chance to shine.”