🚀 Exciting News! 🚀 We are so proud of Beyond the Algorithm which is officially available on Amazon today! a.co/d/0iFYAaw5 We are incredibly grateful to @jmattmiller for writing the foreword and helping set the stage for the ideas and possibilities explored throughout the book. In a world where the future is increasingly unknown, Project-Based Learning AI (PBL-AI) isn’t just an approach, it’s the path forward for keeping humans meaningfully in the loop.@TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd

Civic engagement in full effect at @OakGroveES40 today. Grade 6 students had the opportunity to share their voices, ideas, and learning with community leaders who can help shape the future, including @drbonkwcsd , our Superintendent, @SenatorRolison and others. This PBL celebration showcased a truly interdisciplinary learning experience. By redesigning our science and social studies curriculum around authentic, real-world challenges, and intentionally aligning mathematics and ELA skills to that work, students applied reading, writing, communication, research, data analysis, measurement, and problem-solving in meaningful contexts. Rather than learning subjects in isolation, students experienced how disciplines work together to help us better understand and improve the world around us. From field observations and biodiversity research through @inaturalist ⁠, to designing their own cuneiform tablets with @tinkercad ⁠, students leveraged tools ranging from crayons to AI to investigate, create, and communicate their thinking. Throughout the project, students explored how geography, early civilizations, ecosystems, human impact, and civic action are interconnected, all in an effort to better understand and help preserve our precious Hudson River for future generations. Their work demonstrates what is possible when learning is connected to purpose, audience, and action. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @steammachinepd

Another wonderful PBL celebration this morning! Grade 6 students at Oak Grove ES worked with state Senator Robert Rolison after reviewing his bipartisan letter to the EPA (written with fellow Senator Michelle Hinchey). They explored biodiversity, sustainable water use from the Hudson River, and innovative solutions for the future. Senator Rolison and Dr. Bonk agreed that the caliber of work was what would one would expect from high school or beyond. Incredible work by our students as we continue to prioritize project-based learning. @drbonkwcsd @SenatorRolison @SammonSTEAM @TKtalksSTEAM

Iteration in Action 🔄❤️ The fidget boards now being used in pediatric treatment room at MidHudson Regional Hospital didn’t appear overnight. Elementary students learned life science concepts and created initial prototypes. High school manufacturing students refined and built the designs. The prototypes then returned to the elementary students for testing and feedback before final revisions were made. Design. Test. Revise. Improve. What started as a classroom idea became a product that is now supporting real pediatric patients. That’s the power of authentic PBL—learning that extends beyond the classroom and creates impact in the community. @SammonSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd @steammachinepd @dailystem #PBL #DesignThinking #Iteration #AuthenticLearning #PortraitOfAGraduate

One thing I’ve learned about myself as an educator is that I love practical ideas. I appreciate the big theories, frameworks, and research, but what I really find myself looking for is the simple strategy that I can use tomorrow. Because of that, when I work with teachers, I try to offer practical suggestions they can immediately apply to their own classrooms. Here’s one PBL AI suggestion that is very practical: The Triple Alignment Hack Before launching a project, ask AI three questions: 1. Standards Check “What standards are naturally addressed by this project idea?” 2. Content Check “What knowledge, skills, and common misconceptions will students need to understand to be successful?” 3. Creativity Check “What are multiple ways students could demonstrate mastery through authentic public products?” The third question is where things get interesting. Instead of defaulting to a poster, slide deck, or essay, AI can help generate possibilities such as: Podcasts Community proposals Children’s books Museum exhibits Public service announcements Websites Prototypes Civic awareness campaigns The standards don’t change. The learning goals don’t change. The opportunities for student creativity expand. For me, this captures the best use of AI in Project-Based Learning. Not creating the project for us, but helping us see possibilities we may not have considered on our own. Use AI to widen the pathways, not lower the expectations. That’s a practical workflow adjustment that can save planning time while creating more opportunities for student voice, choice, and authentic demonstration of learning. @TKtalksSTEAM @levelupsophie @DitchThatTxtbk @steammachinepd

Another fantastic project-based learning collaboration: very proud to partner with Mid Hudson Regional Hospital again! This year, a total of 733 students participated: grades 1,3,4,5, and 6 worked with RCK high school students to create fidget boards that will entertain pediatric patients. These projects don’t just teach STEAM concepts: they develop empathy and build meaningful connections. PBL projects are a priority in our district, and we are very proud to offer them to our students! @drbonkwcsd @WMCHealth @SammonSTEAM @TKtalksSTEAM

Last week, @WCSDEmpowers students at @sheaferoadrocks launched their rockets, and this morning the skies were perfect as students at @GayheadWCSD took flight as well. Every rocket was powered by @EstesRockets, and while the launches themselves were exciting, the real power was in the learning behind them. Students explored energy concepts, collaborated through their own Rocket Companies, and partnered with @MandT_Bank to connect their work to real-world thinking and problem solving. The launch may last only seconds, but the collaboration, creativity, and learning leading up to that moment are what truly matter. @TKtalksSTEAM @drbonkwcsd @steammachinepd #PBL

Rocket Launch today at Gayhead ES! Board members, administrators and staff joined our students and families for this exciting morning! @drbonkwcsd @SammonSTEAM @TKtalksSTEAM @GayheadWCSD

Congratulations Ketcham Racing: Ending the most recent Winners Circle Project season with the first place win at Lime Rock! @drbonkwcsd @KetchamNation

The biggest AI adoption mistake schools make? Starting with tools instead of pedagogy. Tools change constantly. Good instructional design lasts. Our goal isn’t to teach students one specific AI platform. It’s to teach them how to think critically, ethically, and purposefully about AI — no matter what tool exists next year. Human-centered. Purpose-driven. Future-ready. We want students to: • Question AI outputs • Evaluate accuracy and bias • Understand when AI should and shouldn’t be used • Use AI to deepen learning — not replace thinking • Transfer these habits across any platform or technology Because the future isn’t about mastering one tool. It’s about developing thoughtful humans who can navigate an AI-powered world responsibly. @SammonSTEAM @steammachinepd #PBLAI #Humancentered Check out some of our freebies at hearourwords.com

✨Nearly 200 4th graders from @WCSDEmpowers took the lead for one-of-a-kind STEAM showcase at Central Hudson yesterday! Students created interactive energy-themed escape rooms and guided our team through their work 💡⚡ Proud to support hands-on learning and future innovators 👏 🔗Check out their projects: sites.google.com/wcsdny.org/… #STEAM #CommunityPartnerships #WappingersNY #EnergyEducation #HudsonValley

What’s next for us? More conversations. More workshops. More writing. More helping educators design for what’s next. Because the future isn’t just about preparing students for careers. It’s about preparing them to think critically, collaborate meaningfully, solve real problems, and lead with empathy. In a world increasingly shaped by AI, automation, and rapid change, schools must intentionally design experiences that help students become adaptable thinkers, ethical decision-makers, creative communicators, and compassionate humans. We believe this work is only becoming more urgent. Want to see what this looks like in action? Explore our past STEAM/PBL work on our website — and stay tuned for our 2025–2026 showcase. We’re just getting started. @SammonSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers #PBL #STEAMEducation #FutureReady #AIinEducation #HumanCenteredLearning #PortraitOfAGraduate sites.google.com/wcsdny.org/…

From the classroom to the hospital ward, this is learning in action.  Project-based learning is fundamentally shifting how students interact with their knowledge. Fifth graders at @MyersTigersRoar drew on their food web knowledge to draft fidget board designs and create videos, sending both to @KetchamNation, where manufacturing students fabricated the boards and added QR codes linking to those videos. Today, they returned to Myers for testing, ensuring everything is ready for donation to the pediatric ward at Mid Hudson Regional Hospital, where the boards will comfort kids during treatment.  Previous years’ tabletop games and musical instruments were also on hand for students to explore. This is what it looks like when students use their knowledge to create something meaningful for someone else, bridging the gap between elementary and high school, and showing what #PBL can truly be. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd #ProjectBasedLearning #BridgingTheGap #StudentMakers #MidHudson

Authenticity changes everything. Students work differently when: • The audience is real • The stakes are real • The problem is real Authenticity is not a PBL add-on. It’s a design principle. Today, our 4th and 6th grade students presented their learning experiences and final products to Central Hudson and WCSD personnel. Students taught adults about the role energy concepts play in a utility company and how those ideas connect to the real world. This wasn’t students completing an assignment. This was students using their voices, their thinking, and their learning to contribute something meaningful. @SammonSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd @CentralHudson @j_sammon

5 years of partnership with @CentralHudson, and it keeps getting better! Today 160 students from 6th grade at Evans Elementary, 4th grade @FishkillFrogs & Brinkerhoff Elementary built virtual breakout rooms to present their PBL work. CH’s VP said: “It’s been a wonderful community partnership.” Our Superintendent noted students came in with index cards, nervous at first, then relaxed and owned the room. One student admitted nerves presenting to adults, but loved the chance to show what he created. Their work is now housed on Central Hudson’s Kids Corner for all to see! 🙌 This is the power of Innovative School Boards, Superintendents, and Community Partners committed to making a difference in students’ lives in the age of AI through PBL. @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd #PBL #CentralHudson #StudentSuccess #FutureReady #AIinEducation

Wonderful morning celebrating our continued partnership with @CentralHudson! As part of our project-based learning curriculum, elementary students used science knowledge to design virtual escape rooms that illustrate energy concepts; they will be shared on the Central Hudson Kid’s Corner webpage. WCSD Superintendent Dr. Bonk and Central Hudson’s Senior VP of Engineering and Operations, Eric Kiszkiel, thanked the all of those who play a part in making this happen: staff, the WCSD Board of Ed, and most of all, our students. They were able to share their projects at today’s celebration, and their pride was obvious! Fantastic work by all. @drbonkwcsd @SammonSTEAM @TKtalksSTEAM

Lubricating switches the safest way possible! Paintball guns using paintballs filled with lube ?

Today I became an editor. A sixth grader is the reason why. Full story → linkedin.com/posts/john-samm… @TKtalksSTEAM @WCSDEmpowers @drbonkwcsd