South Shore Charter School scholars combined creativity, engineering and environmental awareness during a special Engineering and Earth Day celebration that highlighted innovation, teamwork and hands-on learning.
Inspired by the quote, “The engineer has been, and is, a maker of history,” by engineer James Kip Finch, students spent weeks preparing projects that transformed classroom concepts into detailed three-dimensional models of historic and modern landmarks.
The event featured Town of Islip Historian and engineer George J. Munkenbeck as the honored guest, bringing together engineering, local history and real-world applications.
Students independently selected structures to recreate, including St. John’s Church, the White House and One World Trade Center, using materials such as cardboard, popsicle sticks, straws, LEGOs and wood.
Organizers said Earth Day themes of preservation, sustainability and environmental responsibility were woven throughout the projects, particularly in discussions about maintaining historic buildings and designing future spaces responsibly.
Munkenbeck provided students with design plans and encouraged scholars to add figurines to demonstrate how people use buildings in daily life. Some students reimagined structures entirely, turning simple geometric shapes into original creations while learning about spatial awareness, problem-solving and engineering design principles.
Throughout the event, scholars asked questions about architecture, engineering careers and scientific challenges, including how astronauts breathe in space. Students also participated in a model-building contest that added excitement and encouraged collaboration.
“I was impressed with the deportment, attention and interest of your students,” Munkenbeck said. “All the entries showed creativity and imagination.”
South Shore Charter School, a tuition-free public charter school serving kindergarten through fifth grade students, plans to expand into a full K-12 program.
Founder and Executive Director Dermoth Mattison has emphasized embedding engineering into everyday coursework while promoting the school’s core values of integrity, grit, resilience, excellence, accountability and tenacity.
School officials said the event demonstrated how hands-on learning can inspire students to become future innovators and community leaders.