(01/10/2025) What does attending a session regarding robotic spinograph design have to do with solving a problem? Elementary students from Anoka-Hennepin joined others from around the metro area for a Creativity Festival hosted at the University of Minnesota on Jan. 7 and 8 to answer that question and take on additional challenges. 

Why it matters: Providing enrichment opportunities to develop imagination, creativity and problem solving skills in upper-level elementary students provides motivation and skill development that lead to school and personal success. 

Go deeper: Students worked side-by-side with STEM and arts professionals through a series of breakout sessions designed to meet the objectives of the event that included everything from curating a museum, studying the music of chimes, creating crop art, and many more.  Talent Development teachers at all 25 Anoka-Hennepin elementary schools worked in cooperation with classroom teachers to identify the 390 students who would most likely benefit from this one-day field trip experience.

Learning target: Through participation in the sessions and with other presentations students learned that creativity is a skill that can be practiced and strengthened and put to use in higher education and career settings and is essential to problem solving. 

The Creativty Festival is coordinated through a Twin Cities-based education cooperative called Brightworks, formerly known as Metro ECSU. Brightworks coordinates a series of educational programs for Anoka-Hennepin student and other metro area districts, including the Young Authors Conference, Future City Competition and others throughout the school year.