MIAMI SPRINGS, FL, January 2021— Students at Academy for International Education (AIE) lead the way in Science, Technology Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM) as they use the challenges of today’s educational landscape to redefine collaboration and critical thinking.
High school students at Academy for International Education (AIE) successfully completed a 10-week project with Captain Barrington Irving, Vice Principal Megan Bertrand and The Concours Club as they worked together to design and specify a mobile automotive command center lab. This lab consists of a truck specified by AIE’s students towing a trailer with race cars built by students from Richmond and Henrico, Virginia. The trailer includes features allowing it to serve as an automotive learning lab, giving students around the country an opportunity to engage in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM).
Barrington Irving, Guinness world record holder and founder of Flying Classroom joined AIE students virtually as they met weekly to complete the project. Students were tasked with researching, collaborating and ultimately selecting an automotive transport vehicle system that would best facilitate Captain Irving’s ability to interactively showcase and transport student-built race cars and automotive learning modules around the country.
In order to complete the mission of selecting the optimal truck and trailer combination, students took control of the research process considering factors like towing capacity, engine components, licensing restrictions, acquisition cost, maintenance cost, insurance factors and functionality options. Financial literacy was also critical to the learning process as students compared manufacturers’
suggested retail prices, determined credit score qualifications for loans and applied different interest rates to loan options.
Sandra Pineiro,10th grade student, stated, “This project helped me grow personally. My friends and I worked as a team even though some of us were at school and other were learning from home.”
Vice Principal Bertrand stated, “Students took on this project in addition to their regular course work. Their ability to manage time-sensitive deadlines while adapting to this rapidly changing learning environment showcases just how resilient and dynamic the students are.”
On January 13th students were recognized for their contributions towards this project and Captain Irving showcased a student-built race car in addition to the vehicle he purchased which was selected by AIE students. The trailer component of the project is still being manufactured. The mobile automotive lab will be based at The Concours Club driving circuit located at the Opa-Locka Airport and will travel throughout the country visiting various schools later this year.
