We Build It Better program for students in Shelby County

SHELBY CO., Ala. (WBRC) - A program for 7th and 8th grade students called We Build It Better is more than just a stem or career tech class.

The first of its kind in Shelby County, the ultimate goal of the program is to create inventors and innovators, through an all-inclusive, industry-designed and educator-developed curriculum.

We Build It Better engages students at Calera and Vincent middle schools in a work-like stem environment.

The program incorporates engineering, manufacturing, computer science, math, science, English and language arts into a curriculum.

The two schools recently completed the Invent vs. Innovate kit, which included activities on workplace safety, designing a talking avatar and much more.

They keep all of their work and projects on their digital notebooks.

Teacher Patrice Marbry said this kind of blends all the learning.

“Whether you are going to go off and be a technician or someone that has a four-year degree, the skills and qualities that you need to be successful in both of those areas are the same,” Marbry said. “Being able to have students learn to work together, talk together, value each other’s opinions are important.”

Countywide there are six classrooms: four at Calera and two at Vincent Middle School.

They are currently working on precision and accuracy in manufacturing, and soon after they will begin design and fabrication, electrical and fiber optics and full circle will end with invent vs. innovate.

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