A school in Meadville is getting a new addition with the help of a renewable energy company. We stopped by during construction to see how the project is moving along.
This project is the start of a legacy for the Learning Center School and started with a community effort of more than 100 participants.
“12 years ago, we started this school. We wanted a school that provided hands on opportunities for kids to learn and we did that primary through the arts,” said Dana Hunter Yeager, education director for The Learning Center School.
The Learning Center is an independent school located in Meadville.
The center provided opportunities for children to learn differently by reaching Pennsylvania’s learning standards in a hands-on, project-based way.
“We are celebrating a wonderful project where green mountain energy sun club nearly $109,000 for a sustainably sourced outdoor classroom,” said Johnny Richardson, program manager for the Green Mountain Energy Sun Club.
This one-of-a-kind classroom was designed to distinctively fit into the wooded ravine adjacent to the school building.
True to the Learning Center’s form and mission, they have involved the kids every step of the way.
“They had a small model that they put together as a puzzle so they would understand how it would work, they each carved a peg that is holding our classroom together, they pulled a tree and pulled it out of the woods and put it through the mill,” Yeager said.
Out of the 156 projects that Green Mountain Energy Sun Club has done, the project manager said this one is the most unique.
“It’s also very important that we teach sustainability,” Richardson stated.
“This is the perfect project for us because it integrates art and science in an authentic learning experience for our students. I can’t think of anything better that would sum up this school,” Yeager explained.
By the end of the day Saturday, the main timber frame will be standing and the center plans to introduce the classroom next fall when school starts.
