At Summit School District, there's a big push toward meaningful projects that not only enhance student learning but also benefit the community. Last year, Mountain Top Explorium was given the extraordinary opportunity to put this mission into action by working directly with Summit High School students to create their museum's newest exciting exhibit and custom designed bike rack.
With the help of the fantastic Oakley Van Oss, 2024 The Summit Foundations Educator of the Year award winner, the 2023 Woodshop Class practiced the real world skills involved in working with an outside client. Mountain Top’s executive director, Dave, was blown away by the students' engagement, as they asked him probing questions about the museum’s needs, design requirements, and notes on deadlines.
Communication and collaboration quickly became the cornerstone of the coming months. A big thanks to retired construction management professional Bill Duford, whose expertise helped guide the class in the design and woodworking skills that brought the Alpine Slide to life.
Museum visitors can now experience the Alpine Slide exhibit anytime the museum is open and put their best lego car creations to the test down its three lane race track.
The collaboration didn’t stop there! The 2023 Metal Shop class ensured that museum fun started before patrons even arrived at the door. The students cleverly designed the new bike rack with the ability to more easily fit the newer model of bikes with larger tire sizes and hold the weight of modern e-bikes.
The Mountain Top Team and patrons alike, are deeply grateful to the students, teachers, and Summit School District for their hard work and dedication in creating these exciting additions to the museum. This project exemplifies the success of the district’s Career Pathways Program, which brings education to life by connecting learning with community service. Mountain Top Explorium is proud to have been a part of this collaboration and is looking forward to many more projects that will inspire creativity and hands-on learning in the future!