Hygiene Elementary students and families wandered the streets of Rome, Venice and Florence on Thursday night.
The 12th annual Hawk Air project took place in Italy this year. Hawk Air is a student-driven, teacher-facilitated and parent-propelled annual capstone project where students learn about a specific destination and use that knowledge to explore their redecorated elementary school at the end of the year.
“Throughout the school year, every grade level engages in fully integrated STEAM learning and design challenges to explore our destination’s culture,” Hygiene Elementary principal Renee Collier said. “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.”
In Rome, students could walk the runway for fashion week, toss coins into the fountain, climb walls inside the Colosseum and listen to opera among the city’s ruins. They enjoyed a gondola ride in Venice, admired the shops of Florence and more.
As part of this year’s Hawk Air design challenge, students worked on solutions to prevent Venice from flooding. They used 3D modeling and prototyping with various materials to create designs that were on display at the open house.
“With brainstorming, feedback and iteration, students have improved upon their innovative, creative solutions,” Collier said. “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 the various options before voting with their peers for the next year’s destination.
“At the end of every Hawk Air, students collaboratively preview select countries to gain a general understanding of their options for the next year,” Collier said. “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 added that she 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,” she said.
