Harper Creek Middle School STEAM Students Receive Tools to Provide Hands-On Experiences
Middle School STEAM teacher, Erica Jenkins, received a FOCUS Grant from the Guido A. and Elizabeth Binda Foundation, coordinated by the Calhoun Intermediate School District, allowing her to purchase two new tools to support her students in solving problems using the engineering design process.
The first tool is Sphero Blueprint. Sphero Blueprint kits allow students to design and engage in mechanical and structural engineering. The kits further permit the students to create prototypes using consistent materials. In the past, students had to rely on donated and recycled materials, along with a lot of glue and tape giving inconsistent outcomes. Sphero Blueprint lets the students design and build their prototypes quickly using reusable materials giving more opportunities to test and reevaluate their structures.
The second item purchased with the grant is the Finch 2.0 Robots. Students can solve problems through coding and gain hands-on robotics experience. The Finch Robots provide continuity and focus in coding by progressing from teaching coding on the computer to physical programming.
These tools allow students to have hands-on lessons with real-world applications, providing opportunities for cross-curricular experiences, collaboration, and engaging project-based learning.
Harper Creek Community Schools is grateful to Ms. Jenkins for her time and dedication to creating thoughtful lessons and seeking out new ways to Educate, Empower, and Equip Students for Life.
Harper's Unsung Heroes - Stefanie Howard December 17, 2025
Stefanie attended Harper Creek Schools starting in 1st Grade, all the way through high school graduation. She developed a love for school as a young student at Beadle Lake Elementary. Upon graduation, she started at MSU with hopes of earning a marketing degree, but this didn’t last long. She quickly switched her focus to education. Her teaching career began in Houston, but she would eventually return home.
Harper's Unsung Hero - Matt Bilger December 3, 2025
Matt grew up in the Bilger family, the second of four children. He was different than his siblings, the first in his family to participate in athletics. Through these differences, Matt has been able to find his own niche as a teacher and a coach. He has developed a passion for his career, making an impact on current and former Harper Creek students.
Harper's Unsung Hero - Karen Westlake October 30, 2025
Karen spent her career seeing the world working in the airline industry. The experiences as an airline attendant provided a lifetime of memories. Looking for an opportunity to get out of the house each day, a few decades after retiring, Karen joined the Harper Creek family a year ago as a lunch and recess aide.
