Center for Innovation and Design

The Center for Innovation and Design is currently closed for field trips due to COVID-19.

CID: An Aerospace Experience to Mars

Wallingford Public Schools has developed a partnership with the Victorian Space Science Education Centre (VSSEC) in Melbourne, Australia. The Center for Innovation and Design - An Aerospace Experience to Mars recently launched at Mary G. Fritz Elementary School. The Center will be for all students in our district and around Connecticut. Initially, students in grade 5 will gain access to the center through their Computer Science and Science classes. Working with coding and droids, the students will begin their exploration of Mars. The Board of Education did provide initial start-up funds last June to paint the space and install new flooring. Additional funding is being sought from businesses from across the State of Connecticut.

We need your help to complete the Center for Innovation and Design. Please consider donating at one of the following levels.

Crew Member
(Room Named for Organization or Business)
$2,500 or more

Astronaut
(Program Named for Organization or Business)
$5,000 or more

Mission Control
(Room and Program for Organization or Business)
$20,000 or more

Please contact Dr. Salvatore Menzo, Superintendent to contribute to this amazing experience for students.
Phone - 203-949-6509
Email - smenzo@wallingfordschools.org

Phase 1

Phase 2

Phase 2 of the Center entails the transformation of the lower level of the building into a replica of the surface of Mars. This area would be predominantly used by middle and high school students. Dressed as astronauts, students will travel to Mars under the guidance of their peers back at NASA. Collecting a variety of samples from the surface of Mars, students will then work in a high tech lab to analyze their findings and interpret data. In addition to the software and curriculum for these two incredible learning experiences, VSSEC is providing us with over 20 different science and mathematics investigations for students. The goal when completed and fully operational is for students across the district to visit the Center several times throughout their PreK-12 experience in Wallingford. Career Connections and the Arts The main hallway in the Center is planned to include a learning wall from which students can discover the many careers involved in the aerospace industry. This is where students will learn that aerospace, while involving science and mathematics, also includes opportunities for those who are artistic, love history, or may want to explore law in the future. This exposure to the myriad of careers is key to why we intentionally named the space the center for Innovation and Design. We must not forget or underestimate the need for creativity and research in all that we do. Employing design thinking principles, students in the Center will tap into both their analytical and creative abilities.

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