Education Grants in Action 

Students in Mrs. Roman's classes are learning about plants through hands-on lessons with this Hydroponics unit. Throughout the year, students will cultivate herbs, greens, and flowers, exploring how hydroponics offers an eco-friendly alternative to traditional gardening.

They have been tracking plant growth through photos and measurements, testing the water's pH levels, and they have even had the chance to taste their hard work with some fresh Butter Lettuce, Baby Lettuce Mix, and Pomegranate Punch Romaine.

By the end of the year, young learners will have a deep understanding of this efficient growing method and the science behind it.

This education grant is bringing innovation to the classroom with a cutting-edge Virtual Reality Portable Welding Simulator! Imagine our agriculture and engineering students diving into the world of welding, exploring the science behind it, and mastering different metal properties—all thanks to this incredible equipment.

Not only is it portable, allowing multiple teachers to share it across subjects, but it's also a game-changer in addressing the high demand for skilled welders in the US. This immersive experience in 3 different welding processes is sure to spark interest and potentially pave the way for future careers in welding or metallurgy.

Hands-on learning has reached a new level as students replicate machine set-up, gas selection, and execute welds—all tracked and scored by the virtual welder, providing instant feedback.

The Career Academy Remodel for Workforce Skills and Preapprenticeship education grant aims to equip students with essential life skills and workforce training in a practical hospitality setting.

Through hands-on learning, students jumped right in, working alongside teachers to unpack and build new cabinetry and shelving, gaining immediate experience.

This remodeled space supports students' development of independent living skills, preparing them for preapprenticeships, internships and opportunities beyond high school.



The digital 3-dimensional Anatomage Table Vet allows students to explore animal anatomy, virtually dissecting and interacting with various animal body systems prior to and while physically dissecting. Virtual dissection allows for increased repetition without cost or damage to the specimens. Their experiences cross over between biomedical and vet tech, allowing further collaboration and more creative problem solving with wider representative perspectives.

With this program, students will be expected to know concepts of anatomy, pathology, and kinesiology for animals of sizes. They will be expected to understand collaborative learning and working strategies in veterinary and agricultural science contexts. Students will experience the tasks and work activities of agricultural and veterinary science professionals through applied and collaborative learning.

The BioMedTech courses at Oley Valley High School continue to grow in popularity because of the hands-on learning experiences using real, current and cutting-edge equipment, materials and tools.

Students will know how to use health industry occupational tools, material and equipment for drawing blood, analyzing lab specimens, and conducting pathology tests to diagnose and develop medical interventions. Students will understand the importance of clear, concise communication within the industry as well as empathetic and informative interactions with patients.

At the end of October 2023, our 6th grade band members and middle school orchestra students had the incredible opportunity to attend a live performance by the Pennsylvania Philharmonic at Boyertown West Middle School.

The experience was not only a feast for their ears but also a valuable lesson for these budding musicians. Witnessing the beauty and precision of a professional orchestra, the students could connect the dots between their current learning and their musical aspirations. It was a chance to understand the full potential of their instruments and refine their listening skills, all of which will undoubtedly make them stronger musicians in the future.

EARTH & SPACE TABLE

New in 2022, this Earth & Space Table displays global data. Students can see data visualized in 3D graphics which allows them to make connections in the subjects of earth science, astronomy, meteorology, sociology, agriculture, oceanography, geography, plus much more. There are over 500 datasets that can be used across all K-12 grade levels and multiple subject areas, including clouds in real-time, the risk of drought, the rise of sea level, maps through the history, the surface of Mars, Jupiter's atmosphere, and the volcanoes on Jupiter's moon. NOAA continually updates their data sets as new data is collected.

The Earth and Space Science class has been identified as a high-level area of interest within the high school student body with 73 students enrolled in the class this first year.  We look forward to watching the Earth and Space Program expand here at Oley Valley. 

OVCEF is a proud sponsor of this Education Grant in Action.