C.R. Hanna Elementary Opens New SmartLab, Expanding Hands-On STEM Learning for Orion Students
New hands-on STEM learning environment gives elementary students exciting opportunities to build, design, code and solve real-world problems
C.R. Hanna Elementary School and Orion Community Unit School District #223 celebrated the opening of a new SmartLab with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Sept. 24, expanding hands-on STEM learning opportunities for elementary students in the Orion community.
Expanding Hands-On STEM Learning Opportunities for Elementary Students
The new SmartLab provides students with a dedicated environment for project-based learning across STEM, media arts, robotics and other disciplines. Students are encouraged to explore challenges, test ideas, collaborate with classmates and learn through iteration — connecting academic concepts with real-world applications while developing skills including critical thinking, creativity, communication and problem-solving.
The opening builds on Orion CUSD #223’s investment in STEM learning and extends SmartLab experiences to younger learners at C.R. Hanna Elementary.
We are incredibly excited to bring meaningful STEM opportunities to our elementary students through the SmartLab curriculum. By providing hands-on, engaging learning experiences, SmartLab will encourage students to explore, create, collaborate and solve real-world problems while building the critical thinking and technical skills that will prepare them for future success. Most importantly, it will help spark curiosity and confidence in our students at an early age, opening their eyes to the possibilities that STEM learning can offer.
Hands-On STEM Learning Builds Creativity, Confidence and Essential Skills for Success
The SmartLab is designed to make students active participants in their learning. Rather than focusing solely on finding the correct answer, students engage in projects that ask them to make decisions, troubleshoot challenges, learn from setbacks and improve their ideas.
For C.R. Hanna Principal R C Lowe, those experiences are also an opportunity for students to begin imagining what may be possible for their futures. “I am excited about the opportunity to open up our students’ creativity and minds through our new SmartLab,” Lowe said. “My hope is that this will give the students the ability to dream big and know that they have endless possibilities for their future.”
Students are already putting that approach into practice. Under the guidance of STEM teacher Alyce McConaghy, students are building, designing, coding and collaborating as they work through hands-on challenges.
I am excited about the opportunity to open up our students’ creativity and minds through our new SmartLab. My hope is that this will inspire them to dream big, believe in themselves and recognize that their futures are filled with endless possibilities.
STEM Learning Through the Eyes of Students
Students describe that experience in their own words. When asked what they like most about STEM, Carter pointed to “building with Connetix,” while Charlie and Coner both chose 3D printing. Beau highlighted building car ramps, and Mallen named “engineering, fixing things, robots.” Other students captured the experience more broadly. Havyn described STEM as “hands-on, fun, learning,” while Hannah summed it up in three words: “Fun, hard, creative.”
Those responses reflect the range of experiences the SmartLab is designed to provide, from engineering and fabrication to building and problem-solving. They also demonstrate how hands-on learning can give students multiple ways to discover what interests them, challenge themselves and see what they are capable of creating.
Expanding STEM Opportunities and Preparing Students for the Future
The C.R. Hanna SmartLab is part of the district’s broader effort to provide students with meaningful STEM experiences across grade levels. Orion Middle School also offers SmartLab learning, creating opportunities for students to continue developing STEM knowledge, problem-solving skills and confidence as they progress through the district.
“It has been so exciting to see our new STEM program come to life. Our students are already building, designing, coding, creating and working together to solve problems. I love watching them get excited when an idea works — and even more when it doesn’t, because they learn to make changes and try again. STEM is giving our students a chance to be curious, take risks and see just how much they are capable of creating.”
The Sept. 24 ribbon cutting brought together members of the school community to celebrate the new space and see student learning firsthand. Following the ceremony, guests toured the SmartLab and engaged with students as they demonstrated how they are using the new environment.
The opening also reflects a broader goal shared by Orion CUSD #223 and SmartLab: helping students connect what they learn in school with the skills, interests and possibilities that can shape their futures.
To learn more about SmartLab and hands-on, project-based STEM learning for K-12 students, visit SmartLabLearning.com.
About Orion Community Unit School District #223
Orion Community Unit School District #223 serves students and families in Orion, Illinois, community through C.R. Hanna Elementary School, Orion Middle School and Orion High School. The district is committed to supporting student learning, growth and success through positive, engaging educational environments and opportunities that prepare students for their futures. For more information, visit orionschools.us.
About SmartLab
SmartLab delivers turnkey, career-centered K-12 STEM programs that equip today’s students for tomorrow’s challenges. Every hands-on PBL solution integrates grade-appropriate STEM applications across eight industry pathways. SmartLab programs include dedicated classroom setups or flexible systems designed for mobility, along with standards-aligned curriculum, teacher training, and ongoing technical and curricular support.
