Innovation Academy 6th Graders Host Learning Exposition

Innovation Academy students Cassandra Barber, Gabrielle Curtis, Travis Young and Cameron Oppenhein; Academic of Innovation Leaders Brandon Garland and Stephen Baker

Johnston County Public Schools’ newest school, the Innovation Academy at South Campus, kicked off its first Project Based Learning (PBL) Exposition on November 20th by inviting parents and community stakeholders to the event.

PBL is a learning method in which students develop knowledge and skills by investigating and responding to a real, interesting, and challenging question or problem.

The driving question for the first PBL was, “How do we as a new school form an identity so that we can make a positive impact on our community?” To answer this question, all students worked in teams to design a proposal for establishing Innovation Academy’s identity.

Innovation Academy students Haley Lucas, Isabella Matthews, Dante Dietz and Wade Moore; Smithfield-Selma High School Principal David Allen, and Innovation Academy Principal Kelley Johnson

By investigating the question, students learned math, science, social studies, language arts, and success skills. Students were eager to present the products of their hard work to the community in an effort to share their knowledge and receive support and feedback.

Proposals focused on how to enhance the physical grounds, build school traditions, and improve the local community. Students will begin their second PBL after the holiday break. Students will investigating, “How do environments shape civilizations, and how do civilizations shape environments?”