Page 8 - TTMNSummer2024

STEM/Construction
Page 8 Electronic Edition: www.teachingtodaymn.com

Community Partnerships Foster Real-World Learning

Minnetonka High School MOMENTUM Program Partners with the Minnesota Asphalt Paving Association for
Hands-On Mathematics Unit

but there was not, based on what students felt learning was created thanks to these industry
they could achieve with the production, equip- experts,” said Veninga. “Budgeting and estimat-
ment and sources we gave to them.” ing is a lifelong skill for us all to acquire, and
The project revealed an interesting tension this took place throughout the challenge. Now
in requiring mathematics skills, and yet not students have a new understanding of the con-
having an exact answer that instructors were sistency of the materials applied, labor required
seeking from students. “That’s the real world, and resources implanted, this experience really
in our world of construction,” said Carron. “It’s differentiates our MOMENTUM students in
a choose your own adventure every day. There new and positive ways.”
are many ways to get from ‘A to B,’ and all of Learn more about the Minnetonka High
them can be right.” School MOMENTUM program at min-
Throughout the experience, students netonkaschools.org/MOMENTUM
strengthened skills to levels beyond what they
might achieve in a typical classroom environ-
ment. “From the hard skills related to math minnetonkaschools.org
and physics, to soft skills of working with
professionals on a weekly basis, a new type of

Minnetonka Public Schools and aggregates to utilities, paving, and exca-
At Minnetonka High School, MOMEN- vation,” explained MOMENTUM program
TUM provides opportunities for students with instructor Brent Veninga. “Students were able
a passion for real-world, hands-on learning to visit the site in question at the local middle
to take courses that can lead to skilled trade school, and then each team had the opportunity
careers. The program began as a reimagining to give their bid presentation to a review panel,
of aspects of Minnetonka High School’s tech- followed by a ‘bid opening’ event so everyone
nical education program, with its f rst courses could hear what the other teams did.”
launching in Fall 2020. Four years later, there “We wanted to essentially create a giant
are more than 400 students involved in classes “word problem” with asphalt paving as the
within MOMENTUM’s four different areas of subject. It’s a way students can achieve their
study — Construction Systems, Manufacturing, learning objectives, while exposing them
Design, and Transportation. to an industry they might not be aware of,”
This spring, a team from the Minnesota said Abbey Bryduck, Executive Director of
Asphalt Paving Association (MAPA) and Valley MAPA. “Putting the curriculum into a practi-
Paving worked extensively with Minnetonka cal application with an incentive, just like in the
High School MOMENTUM students taking the construction world, hopefully gave the students
program’s Physics and Mathematics in Home an experience where they could envision them-
Renovation classes as part of a pioneering, selves being in the future. That was MAPA’s
goal in the project.” Bryduck is involved in
project-based learning initiative. Both Physics MAPA’s workforce development committee Funding Available for Schools!
in Home Renovation and Mathematics in Home
Renovation are interdisciplinary courses that and noted that the organization approached this Minnesota Housing is excited to educational cooperatives can apply for these
allow students to fulf ll graduation requirements project as an opportunity to help students envi- announce funding availability for school dis- funds through the 2024 Single Family RFP.
in core subjects areas while applying knowl- sion future careers. tricts to provide affordable homeownership The application deadline is Thursday, July 11,
edge directly to the trades. As part of this challenge, seven student opportunities through the 2024 Single Family 2024 at noon Central time.
Inspired by a project from Purdue Uni- teams traveled to Valley Paving for site visits. Request for Proposals (RFP)! Application instructions and documents
versity, MOMENTUM instructors together From welding to crawling inside the driver’s School districts, charter schools and edu- are available on Minnesota Housing’s Impact
with MAPA partners designed a “bidding chal- seat of motor graders, dozers, dump trucks and cational cooperatives are eligible to receive up Fund webpage https://www.mnhousing.gov/
lenge” unit where students determined funding other massive machines, students had f rsthand to $100,000 in grant funds to construct homes homeownership/community-initiatives-pro-
for the hypothetical paving of a district school exposure to the many elements it takes to com- for owner-occupants. Grant funds can be used grams/impact-fund.html.
site, Minnetonka Middle School West. At the plete a large transportation paving project. for certain costs directly related to construct- Those interested in applying should
completion of the project, students presented “My favorite part of the project was the ing homes such as materials and supplies. In review the Single Family RFP Application
their f ndings in the City of Minnetonka council progression week after week, of seeing the kids connection with the grant, any funds used to Instructions. In addition to other required
chambers. start to understand what to do on their own and purchase materials and supplies must result in documents, applicants must also complete the:
The unit took place over eight weeks, and then come up with their own ways to get to the the construction of a home or homes. These Schools Workbook and School Supplemental
MOMENTUM instructors and MAPA profes- answer,” shared Brent Carron, an industry pro- home(s) must then be sold to eligible owner- Activity Application.
sionals worked together to plan the intersection fessional from Valley Paving. occupants with household incomes at or below We encourage school districts, charter
of academics and applied skills to give students Carron noted that real-world projects, like 115% area median income. The homebuyers schools and educational cooperatives inter-
an unmatched experience. the bidding simulation, provide invaluable expe- who purchase these homes must participate in ested in applying for funds to reach out to the
“During the f rst f ve weeks of the project, riences for students to participate in. “One of the homebuyer education through the Homeown- Impact Fund team for training and technical
industry experts and our instructional team kids said it best, ‘There is no real exact answer,’ ership Education, Counseling and Training assistance on program requirements and the
incorporated lessons on reading blueprints and and that is the truth,” said Carron. “At f rst, (HECAT) program. application process.
the major elements of the project, from removal many kids were under the impression that there School districts, charter schools and
was a right and wrong answer for the project,