Sonya Piper and Jennifer Youngker

Piper’s and Youngker’s innovative teaching idea, “STREAM-ing Highly Capable,” focuses on giving students in a highly capable, self-contained gifted program in a low income district, the opportunity to explore science, technology, reading, engineering, arts and math (STREAM). Piper and Youngker plan to integrate these six subjects through a musical production about a great scientist, author or historical event, and intend to use the Voya grant to purchase a sound system so that it can be performed for the school and students’ parents. Whether the musical helps participants discover a love for drama or learn how to deliver a presentation, the teaching duo’s true goal is to ensure that students are engaged, solving problems, learning and having fun.