North East ISD wants to create life-long learners in our students.
But sometimes, in the process, our little learners become teachers.
Students at NEISD's Krueger School of Applied Technologies (KSAT) compete every year in The San Antonio Mayor's K-12 Smart City Challenge. The mayor challenges students to find solutions to issues within their community. KSAT students have a habit of winning the SA Smart Challenge too.
"Having students be involved in competitions like this allows them opportunities to work with the industry, be mentored by the community, utilize teamwork and practice presentation skills. The skills they learn can then be taught to others," said Tracy Thomas, KSAT's Principles of Applied Technology teacher. "Almost half of the Principles of Applied Engineering TEKS are covered in design competitions. Problem-solving, teamwork, time management and organization are all essential when creating a product, and the industry is looking for these soft skills in their employees."
Since KSAT knows how to win, they took their expertise on the road and taught sessions to fourth and eighth graders from Edgewood ISD. The sessions mimic the skills taught during the competition.
"It made me proud to help teach the next generation of leaders in this nation about how to identify and solve a problem, especially problems in our community,” said KSAT student John.
For these sessions, KSAT students had 30 minutes to train their groups on how to go through a real problem/solution topic and then present their ideas to the room. They looked at how e-sports and video games drive learning in schools.
"I believed the experience allowed us to see the different approaches each generation takes in order to solve a problem," said KSAT student Sienna. "The students all brought something unique to the table and used it to their advantage. They got something out of the interaction, and we gained another perspective and more skills."
KSAT student Ryan added, "Helping people is exciting as you see them sprout ideas in their head. It's one of if not the best thing to witness."
Way to go, KSAT!
