COOL SCHOOLS: Riverside Intermediate

PLYMOUTH, Ind. – Students at Riverside Intermediate School are getting the opportunity to decide what they learn.

The 18 kids are part of the first ever S.O.L.E. Class, which stands for self-organized learning environment.

“I think it’s just really fun to come up with your own ideas,” said Grace Bougher, a S.O.L.E. student.

They’re working on a number of different projects including everything from a gaming computer comparison, researching creativity, and conducting a running shoes review.

Students can choose to work in small groups or individually. 

Sixth graders Dylan Gamble and Matthew Champion are troubleshooting the classroom’s new 3-D printer.

And they showed ABC 57 how it works.

“It might take a few seconds, it has to preheat, kind of like an oven,” said Champion.

On this day they were cranking out a plastic shark from the machine.

Everything they’re learning or experimenting with isn’t just staying in the classroom, they’re posting it online.

Student Ian McVicker created their website and classroom logo.

These students are sharing even more through their classroom Twitter account.

One thing you can click on is Griffin Nate’s recent project the Riverside's Relay for Life Lip Dub.

It’s a music video the whole school was a part of to raise awareness and money for cancer.

“It took a lot of work and it actually paid off doing all this work,” said Nate.

The video itself has helped to raise 2 hundred dollars so far, and more than 1,300 people have viewed it online as of Tuesday.

The one thing the class asks, is that you help spread the word and check out the video here.

Share this article: