Impact:

At Uni High, our students are curious, creative thinkers who thrive when given the freedom to explore, experiment, and challenge themselves. But curiosity alone isn’t enough, students need learning environments that evolve as quickly as they do. 

That’s where the Innovations in Learning Fund comes in. 

Imagine a student who discovers a passion for engineering during a hands-on project in a classroom equipped with collaborative workstations and the latest technology. Or a teacher who transforms a lesson because they finally have access to flexible spaces and interactive tools. These small moments accumulate into the kind of education that changes lives. 

For many years, Uni High has been defined by its academic rigor and its remarkable students. But our building and classrooms work hard to keep pace with the innovative spirit that makes Uni what it is. Teachers are still delivering cutting-edge curriculum in spaces built for a different era. Your support of the Innovations in Learning Fund bridges that gap. With donor generosity, we can modify classrooms that support collaboration and discovery, equip students with tools that prepare them for the world they’re entering, and provide teachers with additional resources to bring bold, imaginative ideas to life. 

This campaign isn’t about furniture or technology, it’s about giving students the chance to learn in ways that ignite their passions and shape their futures. It’s about ensuring that every young person who walks through Uni’s doors has access to an environment that matches their potential. 

When you give, you’re not just upgrading a classroom. You’re investing in curiosity, creativity, and the next generation of thinkers, doers, and leaders.

Testimonials:

Chris Guyotte

Digital Mixing Console for Theatre Space in Uni High north attic.

Professional Development: Harnessing the Power of the Ion Xe 20 Light Control Board: Attending manufacturer's training sessions.

Support from the Innovations in Learning fund helped Uni High Theatre teacher Chris Guyotte integrate technology with fine arts while offering classes rarely seen at the high school level.

The addition of a digital light board — along with a sound board from a separate donation — elevated Uni’s popular theatre productions and opened the door to classes in stage technology and stage craft. Students can even pursue these areas beyond the classes through independent studies.

Guyotte’s goal is to help students see that technology is not just laptops and that theatre involves more than acting on stage.

“The new equipment is digital …  and can do complex maneuvers with the press of a button.  It sets up our students to use it in a lot of different applications. I’ve had two or three students leave here and go to universities and, while they didn’t major in theatre, they went to the theatre department and said, ‘I know how to use this soundboard’, and that got them work.”

The new technology helps students learn not just how to run lights and sound, but how to design lights and sound, which is an opportunity to explore more advanced topics.

 In addition to the 60-70 students involved in Uni’s five theatre productions each year, students who take theatre classes but don’t participate in productions also have the opportunity to explore sound design and cutting-edge theatre technology.

Tom Kiesel

Professional Development: 2023 International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces

In a closet-sized space in a corner of Uni High, Makerspace manager (and computer science teacher) Tom Kiesel oversees students pursuing their creative ideas with everything from 3D printers and a laser cutter to popsicle sticks, cardboard and glue. Everyone is welcome in the Makerspace, from students working on class projects to Dungeons and Dragons players creating game pieces to students pursuing whimsical ideas.

Early in his time at Uni, Kiesel used the Innovations in Learning fund to attend the International Symposium on Academic Makerspaces, where he represented one of the few high schools with a makerspace.

He learned about how to organize a space, but also explored strategies to make the space inviting, academically oriented and rooted in a growth mindset, with a focus on letting visitors to the space “have as unconstrained breadth of possibilities as you can”.

In Uni’s maker space, Kiesel focuses on being in dialog with visitors and being responsive because everyone is doing something different.

“One tip from the conference that I try to use every day is modeling a growth mindset. Instead of jumping in and taking over, I say things like, “I’m not sure about that; let’s try to figure it out together.’”