Lakeview Primary recently celebrated a momentous occasion as it hosted its inaugural Science Fair, an event that not only showcased the scientific curiosity of its kindergarten through second-grade students but also revealed the power of strategic partnerships. Playing a pivotal role in sponsoring the event was Paperpie, an American company with a 33-year history, specializing in learning-based products such as books and toys from various publishers.
"The Science Fair is a big undertaking, and so you need a lot of support," said Lakeview Primary STEAM Teacher Brittany Nichols, "I think that we have shied away from that with our kindergarten through second grade students. But this year, we wanted to go ahead and lay that foundation and expose them, even at the kindergarten age. They are capable of carrying out the experiment and doing the research and learning about what they're interested in, early on," she said. Nichols, who was LVP’s 2022 Teacher of the Year, and has been instrumental in several exciting ventures for the school, including orchestrating its first Career Day, as well as last year’s Year of STEAM project.
Lakeview Primary Parent and Paperpie Representative Lyndi Shaw said that the decision to sponsor Lakeview Primary's Science Fair stemmed from Nichols, who hah a history with Paperpie through previous events. "We have a very wide variety of STEM books and toys so we thought it would be a really great way to boost the STEM program here and support them."
Paperpie's profit distribution model returns 50% of earnings back to the school in free products from the orders parents place during the Science Fair. This not only supports Lakeview Primary's STEM program but also fosters a culture of learning and exploration among the students. The partnership between Paperpie and Lakeview Primary not only brought sponsorship to the event but also highlighted the potential for collaboration between businesses and educational institutions to foster a love for learning from the earliest stages of education.
Many collaborative efforts were required to make the science fair a reality. Since this was the first year, the challenge was to ensure that parents and families felt supported throughout the process. Nichols initiated a series of weekly emails starting in October, providing families with 20 to 30-minute activities that could be done at home. These activities aimed to guide parents and students through the scientific process gradually, preventing them from being overwhelmed and ensuring that everyone had the necessary resources.
As the school gears up to celebrate the accomplishments of its young scientists with a pizza party, Nichols shared, "The top projects will go to compete at the state science fair at Georgia College in March. We're having a pizza party because we want them to know that all their hard work has paid off and that they're all winners for giving their best go at this!"
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