Brooklyn Park schools get grant for creative learning kits
The Brooklyn Park City Council discussed a grant-funded initiative bringing Makey Makey kits to District 279 schools, giving students hands-on tools to develop problem-solving and creative skills through interactive technology projects.
The council focused on an educational enrichment program that equips students with Makey Makey kits—devices that let students connect everyday objects like bananas, coins, or aluminum foil to computers to create interactive games, music, and art projects. The initiative is funded through a grant and administered as part of the district's Talent Development Program.
Council members highlighted the kits' value in teaching 21st-century skills that go beyond traditional classroom instruction. The hands-on learning approach encourages collaboration, problem-solving, and creative invention—competencies educators say are increasingly important for students' future success. The kits have been enthusiastically received by students, who have used them to enhance their understanding of technology and creativity.
The Talent Development Program serves as the administrative framework for distributing and implementing the kits across District 279 schools. By leveraging grant funding, the district was able to provide these enrichment opportunities without straining the regular school budget.
The council's discussion underscores the district's commitment to expanding learning opportunities beyond core academics. While no formal votes were recorded in the meeting materials, the council's focus on the program signals continued support for innovative educational tools that prepare students for an increasingly technology-driven world.
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[0:04] [Music]
[0:09] [Music]
[0:16] Makey makes they
[0:18] are they take everyday items and you can
[0:21] connect them um to your computer and it
[0:25] replaces the keyboard the keys on your
[0:27] keyboard so it just makes everything the
[0:29] learning and um different experiences
[0:32] for the kids to put everything hands on
[0:35] I think about the making miy kits is
[0:37] that is that when you make them you can
[0:40] make anything you want and it's really
[0:42] can bring out your create creativity
[0:45] it's important for these students
[0:47] because it gives them the extra
[0:49] enrichment opportunities that they don't
[0:52] normally have in their everyday
[0:54] classrooms um it allows them to take
[0:58] their learning to a new
[1:00] level and a different level of
[1:03] understanding and showing us what they
[1:04] know um and to apply different
[1:07] connections with the 21st century skills
[1:11] and it also works with like
[1:12] collaborating and they have to problem
[1:14] solve and they are the creators and the
[1:17] inventors you can like make a drawing
[1:19] and then you can make it have sounds in
[1:20] it and you can do a lot with it you and
[1:24] you can like make instruments and you
[1:25] can like play it like a real instrument
[1:28] you can change the volume to any sound
[1:32] that you want but the best volume that
[1:35] you would want to be is a four or five
[1:40] like
[1:47] this some kids who aren't academically
[1:50] super strong this is an area where they
[1:53] shine um so it's important for all of
[1:55] our students because they're given those
[1:58] chances I want to thank you for choosing
[2:00] my grant and doing the grant um it is
[2:03] something that I had experience with in
[2:08] another state and I wanted to bring it
[2:10] here because I saw the positive effect
[2:12] that it had on all students um and I
[2:16] wanted to provide that with our students
[2:18] here um and I think doing it through the
[2:20] talent development worked awesome and
[2:23] they the kids ask every single day can
[2:26] we play with the Makey makes so um thank
[2:29] you the kids love them and I like to be
[2:31] able to show my passion through getting
[2:36] them to create what they want and be
[2:38] those inventors thanks for donating and
[2:42] we really like them thank you for
[2:45] donating so we can have this
[2:47] opportunity thank you for
[2:50] [Music]
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