John Butler
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Butler’s innovative teaching idea, “Environmental Monitoring,” focuses on helping the students at Village Green Virtual Charter School to gain the knowledge, skills and experience to address pressing environmental challenges in the community. With the Voya grant, Butler plans to combine a new mobile learning platform with environmental quality measuring instruments for use in the classroom and on location, allowing students to experience relevant workforce technology. Students involved in the project will collect data such as date, climate, and pollutants to design, build, and test new tracking devices. They will analyze data and generate reports to share with the community. Through the project, students will learn about team-work, collaboration, and problem-solving, all of which Butler believes are essential components to prepare them for their futures and potential careers.