New Sparklab unveiled at Southeast Area Technical High School

CASTLE HAYNE, NC (WWAY) — In New Hanover County, a new classroom is helping students learn about the latest technologies.

From learning how to design an app to using coding to paint a drawing, the new Sparklab at Southeast Area Technical High School is giving students the opportunity to be a part of the future of technology.

Students in Sparklab will complete 8 modules, like the history of e-sports and 3d printing from more than 50 available choices.

The students will then put what they learned from each module in a final project, as opposed to being graded on a traditional A, B, C, scale.

Sea-Tech student Matthew Stoneback said this will allow them to learn what they want without unnecessary stress.

“This is giving students the chance to have the power to work with what they are interested in and to achieve goals in a way that isn’t stressing them out by telling them they have to get a certain amount of work done like a quota,” Stoneback said.

And it’s not just the students who are excited about the new lab.

“This is the most exciting thing I’ve ever seen in education,” Sara Toothman, Sparklab’s instructor said. “Just seeing students like light up and get excited. They can code in Roblox’s, they can share their nerdiness with each other in a very safe space, they can dip their toe into different nerdy technologies and things like that.”

For those students who might not be sure about being a part of Sparklab, Stoneback said its important for both them and their parents to accept technology.

“Don’t be scared of technology and try to embrace it,” Stoneback said. “Students, if they want to start learning, parents should try to help them strive to be better with technology like this classroom is helping us with.”

For now, only Sea-Tech students will be able to use Sparklab but there is the possibility that students at other schools will be able to use it in the future.