4/6/2023
Milbank and Gordon Parks Elementary Partner for Interactive STEAM Exhibit
Milbank Manufacturing and Gordon Parks Elementary are buzzing with excitement as they await the installation of Hive ALIVE! - a project all about bees and pollination, developed entirely from the minds of the school’s third graders. In just a few days, students will get to see their final vision unfold as an interactive display.
Hive ALIVE! was developed by Dr. Sean Klippel’s 2021 third graders as part of Burns & McDonnell’s STEAM competition, “Battle of the Brains.” Students showcased their group projects to local judges, with Dr. Klippel’s class achieving a top 20 finish. Hive ALIVE! was also presented at Gordon Parks’ science fair, capturing the attention of Milbank software engineer and Gordon Parks’ mentor, Jordan Fultz. He enlisted fellow Milbank employee and graphic designer, Jordyn Tuttle, to help him take the students’ ideas to a real-life learning experience for the whole school to enjoy.
As a local Kansas City company, Milbank has deep-rooted community bonds, including a close relationship with Gordon Parks. Milbank’s executives value service leadership and empower employees to develop community connections. Working with Gordon Parks is always a rewarding experience for the school, but also for Milbank. Katrina Henke, Milbank owner and chairman of the board shared her insights on the continued partnership with Gordon Parks:
“Our family are proud supporters of Gordon Parks Elementary School since the school’s inception in 1999. Both our employees and family treasure this special place…whether it’s a book drive, field day or STEAM Fair, our time with students and staff is always positive.”
Hive ALIVE! is under construction at Milbank- on its way from blueprint status to a tangible display for students, parents and faculty members at Gordon Parks to enjoy. Soon, the hive will come to life with opportunities to learn all about how bees make pollen through hands-on activities. Dr. Klippel is anxiously awaiting the installation and seeing his students’ STEAM dreams become a reality:
"The development and installation of HIVE Alive at Gordon Parks Elementary School illustrates our commitment to project-based instruction and real-world applications of learning. Using the iterative design process, our students developed a winning STEAM exhibit design as a part of the 2021 Burns and McDonnell Battle of the Brains Competition--highlighting bees as the earth's most efficient engineers. Seeing this project to completion reaffirms our students' resilience, ingenuity and capacity for excellence."
“Bee” ready for reveal photos and more as Hive ALIVE! makes its debut at Gordon Parks Elementary on May 8th. You can also view more Hive ALIVE! updates on our Instagram, @milbankworks.
Hive ALIVE! was developed by Dr. Sean Klippel’s 2021 third graders as part of Burns & McDonnell’s STEAM competition, “Battle of the Brains.” Students showcased their group projects to local judges, with Dr. Klippel’s class achieving a top 20 finish. Hive ALIVE! was also presented at Gordon Parks’ science fair, capturing the attention of Milbank software engineer and Gordon Parks’ mentor, Jordan Fultz. He enlisted fellow Milbank employee and graphic designer, Jordyn Tuttle, to help him take the students’ ideas to a real-life learning experience for the whole school to enjoy.
As a local Kansas City company, Milbank has deep-rooted community bonds, including a close relationship with Gordon Parks. Milbank’s executives value service leadership and empower employees to develop community connections. Working with Gordon Parks is always a rewarding experience for the school, but also for Milbank. Katrina Henke, Milbank owner and chairman of the board shared her insights on the continued partnership with Gordon Parks:
“Our family are proud supporters of Gordon Parks Elementary School since the school’s inception in 1999. Both our employees and family treasure this special place…whether it’s a book drive, field day or STEAM Fair, our time with students and staff is always positive.”
Hive ALIVE! is under construction at Milbank- on its way from blueprint status to a tangible display for students, parents and faculty members at Gordon Parks to enjoy. Soon, the hive will come to life with opportunities to learn all about how bees make pollen through hands-on activities. Dr. Klippel is anxiously awaiting the installation and seeing his students’ STEAM dreams become a reality:
"The development and installation of HIVE Alive at Gordon Parks Elementary School illustrates our commitment to project-based instruction and real-world applications of learning. Using the iterative design process, our students developed a winning STEAM exhibit design as a part of the 2021 Burns and McDonnell Battle of the Brains Competition--highlighting bees as the earth's most efficient engineers. Seeing this project to completion reaffirms our students' resilience, ingenuity and capacity for excellence."
“Bee” ready for reveal photos and more as Hive ALIVE! makes its debut at Gordon Parks Elementary on May 8th. You can also view more Hive ALIVE! updates on our Instagram, @milbankworks.