Bryan Innovation Lab Week

This summer, a group of faculty gathered for Steward’s annual Bryan Innovation Lab Week. For three fast-paced days, the 16 participants engaged in workshops, brainstorming sessions, and presentations centered on nature, this year’s schoolwide theme. For the past several years, the Steward community has enjoyed a yearly campus-wide theme; this year’s is an opportunity to explore the ways that students, faculty, staff, and the greater community can engage in meaningful experiences that strengthen their connection to the natural world. 

The Bryan Innovation Lab team (Brad Kovach, dean; Megan Young, program specialist; Suzanne Casey, Lower School innovation specialist; Lexi Bach, Upper School Bryan Lab liaison; and Janell Kauffman, Middle School Bryan Lab liaison) worked together to plan Bryan Lab Week. One of the goals of this annual event is to encourage faculty in all divisions to collaborate on cross-divisional, cross-curricular, or experiential activities and projects they can explore with their students.

The group welcomed invited speaker Carolyn Schuyler (Steward’s 2022 Visiting Innovator), founder and former director of Wildrock, a three-acre nature playscape nestled in the Blue Ridge foothills. 

“Carolyn’s 2022 visit to Steward inspired faculty and staff to recognize the importance of play in our lives,” said Mr. Kovach. “We were thrilled to invite her back to campus. Her talk this year challenged our hearts and minds to explore our relationships with nature and how we can encourage students to do the same,” said Mr. Kovach. 

Ms. Schuyler talked about the benefits of spending time outdoors, including reducing stress and promoting mental, physical, and emotional well-being. 

“What if kids identified as part of the ecosystem and recognized their interconnectedness with nature?” she asked excitedly, and encouraged faculty to spend more time outdoors with their students. Even shifting students’ surroundings for a short amount of time, she said, can feel energizing and can enhance cognitive abilities. “Let’s get kids aware of how much they benefit from being surrounded by nature!” she added. “We can all have a deep, emotional relationship with nature.” 

Following Ms. Schuyler’s talk, participants teamed up for a design-thinking project, brainstorming ways they can help their students utilize Steward’s many outdoor spaces. For example, third-grade teachers plan to work with their students to create signs around the Bryan Innovation Lab community garden and nature area that focus on mindfulness movements and other wellness activities. And a project for Upper Schoolers will give students opportunities to write about nature while being in nature.

Ms. Young said, “We’re excited about incorporating our schoolwide theme of nature in all aspects of Steward life. Success will be measured not just in knowledge gained, but in how we feel. This year, we will get outside more, disconnect, slow down, appreciate, feel a sense of awe, and maybe discover a new passion! We want to share with our students a connection with a lifelong resource — one that nurtures their well-being, fosters a deep sense of stewardship for the Earth, and empowers them to build a sustainable future.”