Edgewood Middle School Teacher Launches GoBabyGo!
Press Release
WARSAW — Edgewood Middle School Project Lead The Way Teacher Abbi Richcreek recently launched the GoBabyGo! 2020 program.
Richcreek promotes STEM education through her classroom curriculum, after-school clubs and special projects such as GoBabyGo! This is a continuation of the second set of Jeeps to be modified for GoBabyGo! at Edgewood due to the physical closing of Warsaw Community Schools in March. This year’s project will focus on finishing vehicles for four deserving children whose projects were put on hold.
Key contributors continue to fund this program and understand the importance of delivering on the promises made to the four deserving children in March. Contributors include Warsaw’s VFW 1126, the Korreck Family and Kosciusko Endowment Youth Services (KEYS) for a grant through Kosciusko Community Foundation.
Richcreek reached out to let the four beneficiaries know that teams of engineers and volunteers will prioritize this project even if the children cannot physically be at the work sessions. Emmit, Zorey, Jordynn and Bryar will each receive a customized and modified 12-volt vehicle. With this mobility gift, these children will have increased independent movement experiences that allow expression, play, socialization and exploration for learning.
Richcreek again recruited over 20 Edgewood students who have committed to a five-week after-school STEM activity to be held outside following COVID-19 health and safety protocols. Richcreek is grateful that volunteers form last year’s program returned to complete their projects. Students who graduated from Edgewood Middle School and went on to Warsaw Community High School also came back.
Emmit, Zorey, Jordynn and Bryar will each have a team of Edgewood students consulting with mentors to work through a design process to meet the objective of engineering a vehicle that meets the unique needs of their child client. Mentoring engineers from local companies were on-site Wednesday, Sept. 16, when this year’s GoBabyGo! launched again. Richcreek also arranged to have Physical Therapist Dr. Aaron Turner on-site to answer questions about mobility so Edgewood students can make assessments and engineer alterations to create a specialized vehicle.
Richcreek would like to thank all who support the GoBabyGo! program. She appreciates the ongoing partnerships with volunteers from WCS’ maintenance department, Depuy, Zimmer-Biomet, Dalton Foundry and Paragon Medical, who serve as mentors and give their time and talents to enrich the lives of others.