Seventh-grade students from Somis School will be the first to experience a new high-tech learning lab opening at the Ventura County Office of Education (VCOE) in Camarillo next week. It’s called the LMNOP Lab, which stands for Learning Makes New Opportunities Possible. The lab is outfitted with large interactive displays and all of the tools students will need to complete various technology-oriented projects.
The students will enjoy a full week of interactive learning about computer coding, robotics, electronic music, and website design. Students will have the opportunity to choose their own projects, which they will present to the class at the end of the week. Students will have access to a variety of technology learning tools, including Arduino microcontrollers and LEGO BOOST kits that use motors, sensors and coding to bring models to life.
Following this summer pilot program, there are plans to open the LMNOP Lab to students countywide. “We envision the LMNOP Lab becoming a field trip destination for students from all grade levels throughout Ventura County,” said Dr. César Morales, Ventura County Superintendent of Schools. “The lab allows students to learn technology skills in a fun, hands-on way. The goal is to inspire an interest in STEM-related learning that can help students prepare for the demands of the modern job market.”
The LMNOP Lab grew out of a vision that was developed by the Ventura County P-20 Council. The P-20 Council is a group of community leaders representing education, business, government and nonprofits who work to expand educational opportunities for Ventura County students from preschool through higher education. The Ventura County Office of Education is providing space for the lab in its new Mary Samples Center building, which opened last year. VCOE is also providing the instructors who will lead the weeklong series of interactive classes. The lab is benefitting from a partnership with the Naval Surface Warfare Center Port Hueneme Division, which provided funding for much of the equipment the students will use.