Ross School Innovation Lab Tests Content for National Geographic Kids Engineering Exploration Challenge

EAST HAMPTON, N.Y., March 6, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Ross School announced today that its Innovation Lab @Ross students were asked by National Geographic to evaluate content for the new National Geographic Kids Engineering Exploration Challenge, announced in the April issue of National Geographic Kids magazine. Ross School students from grades 4–12 conducted lab tests to help National Geographic improve the engineering challenges, supporting guidelines, and resources prior to the official launch of the challenge.

"The Innovation Lab has always strived to provide unique learning opportunities in a hands-on environment. The tests we conducted for the National Geographic Kids Engineering Exploration Challenge allowed our students to investigate real-life challenges confronting engineers in the science field, while providing feedback to help ensure that these activities will be productive and educational for participating students," said Dr. David Morgan, director of Innovation Lab @Ross and dean of science at Ross School.

More than 20 Ross School students participated in the weeklong trial in February. They explored technical problems encountered by remote imaging engineers working to capture high-quality images in difficult and unusual locations. Challenges included constructing a camera that can withstand an attack from an animal, creating a camera that can be raised and lowered into a forest canopy, and designing a wearable power system that can generate electricity to charge devices in the field without the use of an electrical outlet. Feedback from Ross School trials will be incorporated into the National Geographic Kids Engineering Exploration Challenge.

"The education review has always been a key part of our process at National Geographic before we launch new programs," said Kathleen Schwille, vice president, education design and development, Education Programs, National Geographic. "We asked Ross School to participate in the assessment of this project because we recognize a great deal of synergy between our philosophies, which is specifically evident in programs like the Innovation Lab @Ross."

The National Geographic Kids Engineering Exploration Challenge is open to all persons ages 6­-18 worldwide until May 1, 2014. More details on the challenge can be found at http://NatGeoEd.org/NGX. For more information on Innovation Lab @Ross, visit http://www.ross.org/innovationlab.

ROSS SCHOOL Founded by Courtney and Steven J. Ross in 1991, Ross School is a private school serving over 500 students in grades pre-nursery through 12, as well as a growing number of domestic and international boarding students, on two campuses in Bridgehampton and East Hampton, New York. Ross School is operated by the Ross Institute for Advanced Study and Innovation in Education. For more information, visit www.ross.org.

ROSS INSTITUTE Established in 1996 by Courtney Sale Ross, Ross Institute is a not-for-profit education organization with offices in New York and Stockholm. The Ross Institute operates Ross School, which serves as a lab school for the Ross Model, and offers educators worldwide professional development and consulting based on the Ross Model. Ross Institute mentors other schools interested in adopting the Ross Model and promotes understanding of the implications of globalization for pre-collegiate education.

For more information, visit www.rossinstitute.org

For more Ross School news, please visit blogs.ross.org/news.

SOURCE Ross School