KITES Showcase Set Dec. 12

Ozark KITES students are always hard at work, but these last few weeks, they’ve been working a little extra as they wrap up their projects for the Ozark KITES Department Showcase Dec. 12. 

KITES — Kids in Talented Educational Studies — is the District’s gifted program, and the Showcase is a time for the community to celebrate the exploration and creativity of students.

Elementary students are creating a collaborative Treehouse Amusement Park using recyclable materials. But it’s not all play and no work, students had to come up with a theme, a name, a logo and even follow a budget. 

“I’m so impressed. They are so creative and there’s a lot of learning,” teacher Junee Townsend said.

Fifth grade students have been challenged to create an innovative solution to a problem in the community, which they are calling Compassionate Innovation. Students are immersed in the engineering design process including prototyping and conducting market research.

For sixth graders, students have been immersed in the creation of their own ancient civilizations. Collaboratively, they are designing and incorporating all elements of civilizations including geography, religion, achievements, politics, economics and social structure — all part of the sixth grade Social Studies standards. 

“Their creativity, innovation and design put into these projects is incredible,” OMS KITES teacher Christa Kimbrough said. “The Showcase is a wonderful opportunity for students to share their creativity, innovation and collaboration.”

The older students get, the more individualized the projects become. At the junior high level, students are doing their own projects, which range from a hand-crafted foosball table, to a study on color, to how paper is made, to tiny home designs. 

The walk-through Showcase is open to the public from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Dec. 12 at the West Elementary School gym.