The Shadow
COVINGTON, Va. (VR) – The Discovery Center welcomed educators, community partners, business leaders and elected officials for Discovery Day, an event highlighting the progress of the STEM Next Door initiative and its efforts to connect classroom learning with real-world experiences throughout the Alleghany Highlands.
Covington City Manager Allen Dressler and Mary Fant Donnan, executive director of The Alleghany Foundation, opened the program by welcoming attendees before Cindy Ramboyong, lead project manager with VT-ARC, provided an overview of the initiative’s accomplishments during the 2025-26 school year.
Ramboyong said STEM Next Door was created to provide students with hands-on learning experiences while building stronger connections between local schools, businesses, industries and community organizations.
One of the program’s first major partnerships was with Wiley’s Garden Center, where a hydroponics project introduced 654 Covington Middle School science students to plant science, controlled-environment agriculture and sustainable food production. The project gave students opportunities to apply classroom science concepts through hands-on investigations. Ingevity and the City of Covington also partnered in launching the initiative and providing additional community support.
A significant portion of the presentation focused on curriculum development. Teachers worked alongside the Virginia Tech Curriculum Team, VT-ARC staff, local business representatives and members of the Local Advisory Committee to design classroom units centered on local industries and natural resources.
The curriculum development process included four phases: identifying teacher needs and local topics, collaboratively designing units aligned with Virginia Standards of Learning and Career and Technical Education competencies, developing lessons through the Virginia Tech team, and implementing the curriculum with continued teacher feedback and support.
The collaboration resulted in 12 new instructional units connecting science and Career and Technical Education to resources found throughout the Alleghany Highlands.
Topics included sixth-grade units on watersheds and water quality as well as soil science and pH; seventh-grade units covering DNA and genetics along with plant identification and classification; and eighth-grade lessons focused on photosynthesis and additional soil science concepts.
Supporting those units are 39 new hands-on learning activities designed around local experiences. Students participate in activities such as nature walks, watershed investigations and tours of the local water treatment plant, allowing classroom instruction to be reinforced through field experiences within their own community.
Ramboyong also highlighted the expansion of after-school STEM programming at The Discovery Center. Students have participated in enrichment activities involving Arduino programming, computer-aided design (CAD), 3D printing, engineering design and construction projects. Organizers said those opportunities will continue to expand during the coming school year.
Teachers and administrators involved in developing and implementing the curriculum were recognized during the event for their collaboration with Virginia Tech, VT-ARC and local industry partners.
Another focus of Discovery Day was the Capstone Project program, which organizers hope to expand during the 2026-27 school year through additional community sponsorships.
The semester-long Capstone program places high school students into small teams that work directly with local businesses, industries and nonprofit organizations to solve real-world problems facing the community. Sponsors introduce a challenge, mentor students throughout the semester and attend final project presentations.
Several potential Capstone projects were highlighted, including monitoring water quality in local streams and watersheds, designing and producing 3D-printed tools to address community needs, creating flood-risk models for the Jackson River using rainfall and stream gauge data, and developing STEM activities that explain the science behind physical activity and human movement.
Organizers said the projects are designed to strengthen students’ problem-solving, communication, collaboration and professional skills while increasing awareness of career opportunities available within the Alleghany Highlands.
Survey results presented during Discovery Day showed positive feedback from participating students. According to organizers, every student reported greater confidence when presenting ideas, increased understanding of how STEM can address real-world challenges, improved teamwork and collaboration skills, and described the Capstone experience as engaging and meaningful.
Businesses and organizations interested in sponsoring a Capstone Project during the 2026-27 school year can contact Cindy Ramboyong at cynthia.ramboyong@VT-ARC.org for additional information.
