RWU Hosts 250 Fourth-Graders for Lesson on Wind Energy
KidWind project brings RWU education and engineering majors together to teach fourth-graders about engineering design and wind turbine energy
BRISTOL, R.I. – Nearly 250 fourth-graders from the Bristol-Warren Regional School District built wind turbines as part of the KidWind project and came to Roger Williams University on Friday to test their pint-sized turbines in wind tunnels.
A partnership between Roger Williams University and the Bristol-Warren Regional School District, the KidWind project features RWU students bringing together two academic disciplines to introduce 232 fourth-graders to wind-turbine energy and the engineering design process. The project was made possible through the RWU Campaign for Civic Scholars, the Hassenfeld Family Foundation and the local sponsorship of TPI Composites, of Warren, R.I.
“It is real-world learning – taking what they learn in the classroom and applying it to the real world,” Bristol-Warren Regional School District Superintendent of Schools Mario Andrade said at RWU on Friday. “Just watch the smiles on their faces – this is what learning should look like every day. It represents a great partnership between the school district, Roger Williams University and industry through TPI Composites.”
KidWind Project
In addition to teaching the next generation of college students, the RWU students are gaining valuable skills and real-world experiences they can carry with them through their future careers.
“This project is about more than just supporting the need for engineering education in local classrooms,” RWU Assistant Professor of Engineering Maija Benitz. “It deepens our RWU students’ learning through experiential, hands-on community engagement.”