Gainesville Schools Receive Architecture Lessons

Newberry Elementary School 

     At only 10 years old these Newberry Elementary school students are already learning architecture principles. A group of University of Florida students are offering workshops to public schools across Alachua County. Architecture Workshop Organizer, Carla Brisotti says they bring in diverse volunteers to show children that regardless of their background, dreams can be achieved. She says one of her main goals is to inspire the students by providing a positive role model. 

"So they can see they can make it"

     Volunteers like Sean Lawaer are teaching children how to be environmentally conscious. He says the future is green and that employers are looking for candidates who think in sustainable ways. Lawaer says these workshops should be of great help to the students. 

     Students used traditional materials like crayons and glue sticks, but volunteers made sure to even provide sticks and leaves. Volunteers say they feel students had an enjoyable learning. Girls and boys showed off their best art skills. Newberry Elementary School teacher, Alexandra Benscik, says she loved the exercise. 

"It's amazing that they're hands on and interacting with all these different materials and it just engages all parts of their brain." 

     Benscik says most students are from low-income homes and that exposing them to these activities helps them achieve goals they might not even realize they've had. Some students even say they hope to be an architect when they grow up.