լи Hosts 250 Fourth-Graders for Lesson on Wind Energy
KidWind project brings լи education and engineering majors together to teach fourth-graders about engineering design and wind turbine energy
BRISTOL, R.I. – Nearly 250 fourth-graders from the Bristol-Warren Regional School District built wind turbines as part of the KidWind project and came to լи on Friday to test their pint-sized turbines in wind tunnels.
A partnership between լи and the Bristol-Warren Regional School District, the KidWind project features լи students bringing together two academic disciplines to introduce 232 fourth-graders to wind-turbine energy and the engineering design process. The project was made possible through the լи Campaign for Civic Scholars, the Hassenfeld Family Foundation and the local sponsorship of TPI Composites, of Warren, R.I.
“It is real-world learning – taking what they learn in the classroom and applying it to the real world,” Bristol-Warren Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Mario Andrade said at լи on Friday. “Just watch the smiles on their faces – this is what learning should look like every day. It represents a great partnership between the school district, լи and industry through TPI Composites.”
KidWind Project
In addition to teaching the next generation of college students, the լи students are gaining valuable skills and real-world experiences they can carry with them through their future careers.
“This project is about more than just supporting the need for engineering education in local classrooms,” լи Assistant Professor of Engineering Maija Benitz. “It deepens our լи students’ learning through experiential, hands-on community engagement.”