Hygiene Elementary is hosting an open house as part of its annual Hawk Air project on May 5 from 5:30-7:00 pm. This year, Hygiene Elementary students and staff will be traveling to Italy.
Hawk Air Italy is a student-driven, teacher-facilitated, and parent-propelled annual capstone project. This year, students and staff will journey to Italy to experience the cities of Rome and Venice and the Tuscany region.
“Throughout the school year, every grade level engages in a fully integrated STEAM learning and design challenges to explore our destination’s culture,” explains Hygiene Elementary Principal, Renee Collier. “At our culminating Hawk Air event, our building is transformed with rich, interactive experiences where students can immerse themselves in architecture, language, art, food, music, and more!”
Each year, students work to solve a design challenge. This year, students have been challenged to come up with solutions to prevent Venice from flooding. 3D modeling and prototyping utilizing various materials within the school were used to create designs that will be on display at the Open House.
“With brainstorming, feedback, and iteration, students have improved upon their innovative, creative solutions,” says Collier. “Throughout the process, students learn collaborative strategies to communicate and problem solve, coming to a consensus on ways to improve the world around them.”
A school-wide vote determines the destination that students and staff travel to every year. Students explore their various options before voting with their peers on a destination for next year.
“At the end of every Hawk Air, students collaboratively preview select countries to gain a general understanding of their options for the next year,” says Collier. “Italy was at the top of the list last year and we can’t wait to see where students determine Hawk Air will go next!”
Collier is proud of the impact that Hawk Air has on the community. “This is year 12 of Hawk Air and there is nothing like it in the state that brings an entire community together.”
Hygiene Elementary would like to thank our partners, the Hygiene Elementary PTO and Otterbox.