BUILDING CONNECTIONS:
RISE Puts Educators and Students in the Driver’s Seat
East Hartford High School teacher Michael Vaughan and his technology and engineering students know that it takes more than hard work and ingenuity to transform an idea into a firstplace finish — it also takes the right resources. Leveraging the RISE Educator Innovation Fund, Mr. Vaughan connected students with almost $2,000 in safety equipment, tools, and supplies they needed to design, build, and race an electric car that won last year’s Connecticut Electrathon Challenge. Students earn more than a trophy from the experience, they also become more invested and engaged in their learning, including by giving up their free time after school and during lunch periods to continue their work.
“Programs like this energize today’s youth for science, math and engineering careers in the future. All the students utilize practical applications of science and math. It is not just some random fraction, or a number on the computer. It becomes a moving machine.” — Michael Vaughan, Technology Education Teacher, East Hartford High School
2019 Annual Report 25