Working Together & Building Futures
Three days a week the energy at St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral is charged with excitement and anticipation as students eagerly await their opportunity to head down to the woodshop room where “Mr. Frank & Ms. Gay” from Building Futures awaits with a new lesson and a new project.
Mr. Frank, whose real name is Frank Lorberbaum, is an architect/builder. He established Building Futures with Gay Lorberbaum, a professor at Washington University and fellow architect, in 2012 to teach students how to invent, create, and make projects with their hands while learning complex problem solving skills and building self-esteem.
“Building Futures is a curriculum-based program that uses a student’s critical thinking skills to build furniture scale projects,” said Lorberbaum. “Yes, they learn how to use power tools, but before they get to use these tools, they must strategically plan their projects using communication, science, and mathematics skills.”
Specifically, during the design process, students begin developing a model of their project which will then be presented and discussed among the class. The group then discusses if and how the project’s design will work. Once approved, the students will then convert the model into a full-scale size object.
“Building Features was chosen as an academy program to enhance students’ critical thinking skills, and the outcome of the program has been nothing but positive from students and their classroom teachers,” said Joslyn Sandford, Graduate Support Specialist at St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral.
At. St. Louis the King, projects range in size and capabilities. From classroom chairs to desks and shelves, students work with their homeroom teachers to decide what is needed for their classrooms and school.
“The look of excitement and accomplishment on the students face after they have built a project is the best feeling ever. The students can’t wait to show and tell you about the project which lets me know they are enjoying themselves!” Added Sandford.
Building Futures is taught over a 40 week period at St. Louis the King School at the Cathedral. To learn more information about Building Futures, please visit http://building-futures.org/. For more information regarding this release, please contact Julie Linder, Public Relations for Access Academies, by calling (573) 268-0639.
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