Learning STEMs from new ODA's new facility

As Adam Seldis walked into the Dick Vitale Family Student Center the day it opened, a scene of four students huddled on an upholstered sofa, laughing and comparing class schedules, instantly grabs his attention.

Seldis, the assistant head of school at the Lakewood Ranch Out-of-Door Academy, sees the school's mission brought to life inside the 5,000-square-feet common area, he says.

"We want to give students the freedom to learn, talk and collaborate in a mature learning environment," Seldis says. "This building — its layout — is paramount to what we're trying to do here."

To help better prepare its students for higher education learning, the East County school opened its new college-inspired student center, along with the Dart Foundation STEM Center, which is located upstairs from the student center in the same building.

Just 14 months after breaking ground on the project, which cost $4.5 million, upper school students are already utilizing the facility. The building has been housing math, science and art classes since the first day of school, which coincided with the Aug. 19 grand opening.

"The goal was to get the students in here using these new resources on day one," Head of School David Mahler says.

Through his foundation, sportscaster Dick Vitale is the primary donor for the student center.

Vitale, the grandfather of five ODA students, appreciates the freedom students receive in his namesake building. It's an environment that models his upbringing and morals, he says.

"I'm blown away by this project," Vitale says, as he watches students explore the new facility. "I think of my mom and dad when I come in here. They both had fifth-grade educations, but valued education and always taught my siblings and me to help others. It feels good to see that come together here."

The center offers students an escape from the pressures of a classroom setting and features a layout open to different types of learning environments, as one might find in a college library, Vitale adds.

Students who prefer to work in groups converge in the center of the room, which offers sofas, chairs and large tables for collaboration and group study sessions.

Students who enjoy studying alone occupy small side tables that line the room, or can retreat to private study rooms.

"Everyone doesn't learn the same way.This space caters to that. It's a stepping stone to the college experience." — Adam Seldis, assitant head of school

A quick elevator trip or trek up the outdoor staircase awaits a more structured classroom-meets-labratory environment in the STEM center.

The Dart family, which has two children who attend the lower school campus on Siesta Key, was the primary donor for the all-things-math-and-science space, which offers a 3-D printer, two telescopes and more than 11 tables for group learning inside the heart of the center — the STEM Lab.

After learning in the classrooms and labs in the building, students bring their lessons to life in the lab, by using advanced technology comparable to what some college students are using, Mahler says.

Mahler's dream for the facility is to encourage students and teachers to put more attention and appreciation into science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects.

Math teachers can now walk across the hall to coordinate curriculum with science instructors, to marry the subjects and provide a more well-rounded education for students, math teacher Julie Garcia says.

"STEM is the future," Sidelis says. "These students will have jobs that in some way involve STEM, I'm sure. This facility is opening up an incredible learning opportunities for our students. I'm excited to see what's next."

Contact Amanda Sebastiano at [email protected].