Centre students present at KU conference

A team of Centre Elementary School students gave a presentation June 8 at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. The Strategies for Educational Improvement: Preparing for the Future conference was a collaboration of the Kansas State Department of Education and the KU School of Education.

Centre’s iTeam, composed of third and fourth graders, gave their presentation as the “iPad Chefs,” based on the TV show “Iron Chef.” They demonstrated “app”itizers – easy-to-use applications for the classroom – “main dish” applications that students use with higher-order thinking skills and creativity, and “desserts,” the students’ favorite applications. The audience for their presentation had more than 400 educators in attendance, including the state commissioner of education, two state board of education members, representatives from legislators’ offices, university professors, teachers, and school administrators.

“The iPad chefs were absolutely fabulous!” Superintendent Jerri Kemble wrote to teachers afterward. “The commissioner of education said she was reading a book on presenting and they should add a chapter that said, ‘never follow Jerri Kemble and the iPad chefs if you are speaker. They are a tough act to follow!’ That made me feel so proud of our kids!”