Never Underestimate the Power of Young Minds
At Westwood Elementary, Mr. Harlan, a passionate fifth-grade teacher, stood before his class one morning, his face brimming with excitement. His students were used to his wild ideas, but this one felt different. "Kids, our school is starting a statewide contest," Mr. Harlan announced. "I've named it 'Deliver Us from Youth Obesity,' and it's up to you—elementary students—to come up with ideas to help solve the problem of childhood obesity."
His students buzzed with chatter. A contest? With their ideas?
But when Mr. Harlan brought the idea to his principal, Mr. Carlson, the reaction was far from supportive.
"Let me get this straight," Principal Carlson said, leaning back in his chair. "You think elementary kids can come up with solutions for something as big as childhood obesity? Don't get me wrong, Harlan, I love your enthusiasm. But we're talking about kids who sometimes struggle to remember their math homework. Creative solutions? From them?"
Mr. Harlan smiled, unfazed. "The best ideas come from everywhere. We underestimate what young minds can do. They don't see limits. Sometimes, that's all it takes."
With a resigned sigh, Principal Carlson gave the green light, though with lingering doubt.
The contest kicked off with a four-month deadline. Posters went up around schools, announcements were made, and Mr. Harlan spread the word at PTA meetings and on different statewide educator email lists. However, as the months dragged on, the number of submissions trickled in—just a handful by the deadline, most of them typical suggestions like "exercise more" or "eat more vegetables." Principal Carlson raised an eyebrow when they met in the hallway, but Mr. Harlan held out hope.
Then, two days before the contest deadline, a breakthrough occurred.
Amelia, a bright but shy second-grader, was at the public library when something clicked. She had overheard her parents discussing how the postal service had switched to electric trucks. As she sat on the floor flipping through the pages of MAKE magazine, her eyes widened as a wild idea began to form in her head.
"Electric trucks..." she whispered to herself. "What if... what if school children helped make that electricity -- maybe within physical education class?"
Her heart raced with excitement. Amelia rushed to her Chromebook laptop and she pulled up an empty page in Google Docs. She'd seen a YouTube video called "Bicycle Treehouse Elevator" where someone had used a bicycle to power an elevator in a treehouse. Could that work for something bigger? Like powering delivery trucks?
"Bicycle elevators could be installed safely on the sides of school buildings," she mumbled, her small fingers fumbling with the keyboard. Then, deciding to speed things up, she clicked on the microphone icon for voice typing and dictated her idea into the document.
Her entry was simple but brilliant: New physical education activities -- fun and enjoyable physical activities -- could be converted into electricity. That electricity could then help power electric postal trucks parked nearby after school hours. Electricity could also be stored in batteries or in newly invented mechanical storage system that would pump water up to water towers near the schools. With this system, kids would exercise more, and their energy would fuel something useful.
His students buzzed with chatter. A contest? With their ideas?
But when Mr. Harlan brought the idea to his principal, Mr. Carlson, the reaction was far from supportive.
"Let me get this straight," Principal Carlson said, leaning back in his chair. "You think elementary kids can come up with solutions for something as big as childhood obesity? Don't get me wrong, Harlan, I love your enthusiasm. But we're talking about kids who sometimes struggle to remember their math homework. Creative solutions? From them?"
Mr. Harlan smiled, unfazed. "The best ideas come from everywhere. We underestimate what young minds can do. They don't see limits. Sometimes, that's all it takes."
With a resigned sigh, Principal Carlson gave the green light, though with lingering doubt.
The contest kicked off with a four-month deadline. Posters went up around schools, announcements were made, and Mr. Harlan spread the word at PTA meetings and on different statewide educator email lists. However, as the months dragged on, the number of submissions trickled in—just a handful by the deadline, most of them typical suggestions like "exercise more" or "eat more vegetables." Principal Carlson raised an eyebrow when they met in the hallway, but Mr. Harlan held out hope.
Then, two days before the contest deadline, a breakthrough occurred.
Amelia, a bright but shy second-grader, was at the public library when something clicked. She had overheard her parents discussing how the postal service had switched to electric trucks. As she sat on the floor flipping through the pages of MAKE magazine, her eyes widened as a wild idea began to form in her head.
"Electric trucks..." she whispered to herself. "What if... what if school children helped make that electricity -- maybe within physical education class?"
Her heart raced with excitement. Amelia rushed to her Chromebook laptop and she pulled up an empty page in Google Docs. She'd seen a YouTube video called "Bicycle Treehouse Elevator" where someone had used a bicycle to power an elevator in a treehouse. Could that work for something bigger? Like powering delivery trucks?
"Bicycle elevators could be installed safely on the sides of school buildings," she mumbled, her small fingers fumbling with the keyboard. Then, deciding to speed things up, she clicked on the microphone icon for voice typing and dictated her idea into the document.
Her entry was simple but brilliant: New physical education activities -- fun and enjoyable physical activities -- could be converted into electricity. That electricity could then help power electric postal trucks parked nearby after school hours. Electricity could also be stored in batteries or in newly invented mechanical storage system that would pump water up to water towers near the schools. With this system, kids would exercise more, and their energy would fuel something useful.
Amelia then went on to explain that schools across the state could compete to see how much electricity they could generate each month. Schools could also compete to invent new physical education activities that were enjoyable and fun. "There's no reason that physical education class should be a drudge or boring. We need to invent new physical education activities. Schools ought to compete on who can invent the most fun new physical education games and sports. Students in school ought to look forward to physical education class. If they don't, then we're not doing physical education right."
Amelia titled her submission, "Powering Our Future with Pedals," and sent it off to Mr. Harlan. Within her Google Doc, she embedded
the Bicycle Treehouse Elevator video.
When the contest closed, Amelia's submission was the clear standout. Her innovative thinking and use of technology to solve two problems—lack of physical activity and energy consumption—had everyone buzzing. Two weeks later, Amelia was invited to visit the engineering department of the local university. There, a team of engineering professors gave her a hands-on tour, showing her how human energy could be converted into electricity, and encouraged her to keep thinking big.
At Westwood Elementary, the day after Amelia's win was announced, Principal Carlson strolled into Mr. Harlan's classroom, hands in his pockets and a sheepish grin on his face.
"You were right," Carlson said with a chuckle. "The best ideas do come from everywhere."
Mr. Harlan just smiled. "I told you. Kids see possibilities we miss."
As Amelia continued to inspire not just her school but the entire state, Mr. Harlan knew one thing for sure: never underestimate the power of young minds.
When the contest closed, Amelia's submission was the clear standout. Her innovative thinking and use of technology to solve two problems—lack of physical activity and energy consumption—had everyone buzzing. Two weeks later, Amelia was invited to visit the engineering department of the local university. There, a team of engineering professors gave her a hands-on tour, showing her how human energy could be converted into electricity, and encouraged her to keep thinking big.
At Westwood Elementary, the day after Amelia's win was announced, Principal Carlson strolled into Mr. Harlan's classroom, hands in his pockets and a sheepish grin on his face.
"You were right," Carlson said with a chuckle. "The best ideas do come from everywhere."
Mr. Harlan just smiled. "I told you. Kids see possibilities we miss."
As Amelia continued to inspire not just her school but the entire state, Mr. Harlan knew one thing for sure: never underestimate the power of young minds.
Story by Phil Shapiro
Creative Commons license -- CC BY-NC ND -- 2024.
(Free use for noncommercial purposes. No derivative works. Licensing from the author available for commercial use.
Free commercial use granted to MAKE magazine.)
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http://philshapirochatgptexplorations.blogspot.com
he/him/his
"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates
"Learning happens thru gentleness."
"Wisdom begins with wonder." - Socrates
"Learning happens thru gentleness."
"We must reinvent a future free of blinders so that we can choose from real options." David Suzuki
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