MSD Lawrence Township

June 10, 2024

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Case Study

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Located outside of Indianapolis, the Metropolitan School District of Lawrence Township is committed to preparing students for their futures, but this dedication extends beyond traditional academics. With a focus on student engagement, career development and innovative learning experiences, MSD of Lawrence Township is leveraging Pathful to spark discussions around career pathways.

When news broke about a rare solar eclipse passing over Lawrence Township, district leaders saw an opportunity to engage students in discussions about the solar system and related career paths. Organizing this event for 16,000 students across 21 schools, with 28% speaking Spanish as a first language, posed logistical challenges. Finding an experienced astronomy speaker and arranging visits to all 21 schools in one day seemed nearly impossible.

Pathful's account services team recognized the need for an experienced guest speaker to deliver engaging, age-appropriate content for the event. Janet Ivey, a Pathful Industry Pro with numerous live virtual sessions, was the ideal choice. Janet, honored with the 2023 Sally K Ride Excellence in Education Award, Is committed to enriching children's lives through art, science, and multimedia education, focusing on space exploration, aviation, and planetary science. Leveraging her expertise, Janet facilitated connections with a STEM educator and distinguished translator from Bolivia, ensuring all 16K students could learn firsthand about this captivating topic and its career opportunities.

By harnessing Pathful's resources and expertise, Lawrence Township successfully developed the Solar Eclipse series. This series included four live, virtual events segmented by grade band, reaching across all 16K students and 21 schools In the District. Pathful played a pivotal role in transforming a logistical challenge into an unparalleled educational opportunity, demonstrating its efficacy in empowering school districts to provide students with meaningful work-based learning experiences that transcend traditional boundaries and inspire lifelong learning.