Peter Rouget JHS 88 Present Their “UN Planet” in Final Showcase of DDC’s Summer Enrichment Program

August 7, 2018

On August 7th, Middle School 88 hosted a showcase for their “UN Planet” project after their participation in the New York City Department of Design and Construction’s (DDC) Middle School Summer Enrichment Program. Throughout July and August, students learned about the built environment using a vocabulary-and concept-rich curriculum developed by the DDC STEAM division. Students met two days a week to master the curriculum content and then applied what they learned to create a culminating “UN Planet” project.  The “UN Planet” is a theme designed for students to build structures using the DDC curriculum. The structure was designed to be a safe place for students to meet and discuss global matters. 
 
The class of 17, comprised of 10 boys and 7 girls was led by educators Ms. Jaegan Wong, Mr. MD Rahman, and Ms. Priya Toramall.  Students worked over the summer to connect the curriculum to their themed project. The “UN Planet” had three floors, each floor for a planet. The structure stood approximately three feet tall. Students were divided into two groups. One group built the foundation of the structure, while another group used TinkerCAD to create 3-D printed furnishings. The class then created objects and decorated each floor to represent the different planets represented.
 
When asked what, they enjoyed about the summer enrichment program activities, among the comments made by students were, “I enjoyed the class because it’s not like the other activities” and “I get to make and change the design how I want it.” “Our students were really invested in the project. They spent weeks creating and perfecting a model they were proud of,” said Activity Specialist Jaegan Wong. Their final project was proudly displaced at the entrance of their showcase.
 
“This summer our MS 88 have traveled the Universe,” said DDC Community Partnerships & STEAM Initiatives Deputy Commissioner Lee Llambelis. “Our students have learned how today’s engineers are shaping the world of tomorrow. The experience provided a unique opportunity to set up our young scholars for success in the fall and to avoid the dreaded summer slide.”
 
This is the third year of DDC’s Middle School Summer Enrichment Program. For 2018, the program was in partnership with the NYC Department of Youth & Community Development and LeAp (Learning through an Expanded Arts Program) at JHS 88 in Brooklyn.  To date, DDC STEAM has served over 2,500 students across the five boroughs.