David Crowell has always loved science and technology. As an undergraduate student at the University of Saskatchewan, he studied electrical engineering.
"Then I realized I enjoy working with people, specifically young people, and teaching provided a chance to do both," said Crowell, a grades 4 to 8 science and practical and applied arts teacher at Montgomery School.
Crowell's shared passion for teaching and science led him to create the interSTELLAR program, an initiative that provides Saskatoon Public Schools' teachers with science loaner kits containing all the materials, tools and lessons they need for classroom activities related to STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). The interSTELLAR program has been so successful, Crowell was one of 12 national recipients to receive the 2023 Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence.
"There are half a million teachers in the country, so I feel really fortunate to be one of the 12 recognized nationally," said Crowell, who travelled to Ottawa in December 2023 to accept his award and to present the unique work he's doing in Saskatchewan to his counterparts across the country.
Crowell chose to present on a solitary bee hotel loaner kit, an initiative set to launch to nearly 50 Grade 4 classrooms in March 2024. Approximately 1,500 students will make the solitary bee hotels using a laser cutter system designed to produce an exact model of the original design (created by Crowell), allowing for an easy-to-replicate build process. Students complete the work by individually rolling 40 small diameter paper tubes from recycle bins at the school. Over the course of an afternoon, students have the chance to have a positive impact on the environment by providing safe lodging and hibernation for bees that don't live in colonies. This is the first school-division-wide project of its kind, as well as the first project for Grade 4 students.
The first interSTELLAR loaner kits launched in 2021 to students in grades 5 to 8. The solitary bee hotel will be the ninth kit to travel between 49 elementary schools across the division to help students learn-by-doing on topics ranging from habitat and communities to circuits and static electricity, rockets in flight, electronics e-waste, optical instruments and more.
"It's in David's nature to improve the lives of those around him," said Mitch Kachur, superintendent with Saskatoon Public Schools. "What makes his work so remarkable is the impact his passion has had not just on his enrolled students but on thousands of others in and around Saskatoon over the past three decades."
Crowell said winning the award is a once in a lifetime opportunity he'll cherish for decades to come.
"I'm passionate about students and teachers," said Crowell, "so I'm trying to effect positive change with kids and create exciting spaces for our teachers to work. There's nothing better than providing an individual with a chance to fix problems. That's what the interSTELLAR program does."
"There are half a million teachers in the country, so I feel really fortunate to be one of the 12 recognized nationally," said Crowell, who travelled to Ottawa in December 2023 to accept his award and to present the unique work he's doing in Saskatchewan to his counterparts across the country.
Crowell chose to present on a solitary bee hotel loaner kit, an initiative set to launch to nearly 50 Grade 4 classrooms in March 2024. Approximately 1,500 students will make the solitary bee hotels using a laser cutter system designed to produce an exact model of the original design (created by Crowell), allowing for an easy-to-replicate build process. Students complete the work by individually rolling 40 small diameter paper tubes from recycle bins at the school. Over the course of an afternoon, students have the chance to have a positive impact on the environment by providing safe lodging and hibernation for bees that don't live in colonies. This is the first school-division-wide project of its kind, as well as the first project for Grade 4 students.
The first interSTELLAR loaner kits launched in 2021 to students in grades 5 to 8. The solitary bee hotel will be the ninth kit to travel between 49 elementary schools across the division to help students learn-by-doing on topics ranging from habitat and communities to circuits and static electricity, rockets in flight, electronics e-waste, optical instruments and more.
"It's in David's nature to improve the lives of those around him," said Mitch Kachur, superintendent with Saskatoon Public Schools. "What makes his work so remarkable is the impact his passion has had not just on his enrolled students but on thousands of others in and around Saskatoon over the past three decades."
Crowell said winning the award is a once in a lifetime opportunity he'll cherish for decades to come.
"I'm passionate about students and teachers," said Crowell, "so I'm trying to effect positive change with kids and create exciting spaces for our teachers to work. There's nothing better than providing an individual with a chance to fix problems. That's what the interSTELLAR program does."
