In order to create a culture of activity, Advanced Game Art & Design students developed a video game that can be used by teachers to encourage their students to get up and move. The student-created game encourages students to do calisthenics in a way that is gamified. The class has a profile that they can customize and by doing simple calisthenics exercises can defeat enemies on screen. Designed for easy teacher adoption, the game can be quickly utilized in short play sessions. The game was piloted in computer science classrooms, and updates are planned to make it more friendly for use in Health Science, with plans for custom workouts and lesson plans in the works.
Teacher, Watauga High School, Appalachian State University
Joe Gragg is a Computer Science teacher at Watauga High School and an adjunct educator for Appalachian State University, where he teaches high schoolers and future teachers ways to make Computer Science fun. His chief focus is in video game design and developing ways to incorporate... Read More →
Wednesday June 10, 2026 9:00am - 10:00am EDT Elm Room 202 A
Discover how a middle school CTE teacher and Media Coordinator transformed agricultural education through an innovative partnership with the Discover Dairy Adopt-a-Cow program. “From Moo to You” blends virtual farm tours, career exploration, nonfiction literacy integration, and hands-on learning to connect students with real-world agriculture and STEAM pathways. Participants will explore how virtual farmer interviews, dairy-based inquiry activities, and curated nonfiction texts increased student engagement, strengthened cross-curricular connections, and expanded awareness of agricultural careers. This session highlights practical strategies for collaboration between CTE and library programs while building meaningful community partnerships. Attendees will leave with ready-to-implement ideas for integrating agriculture, literacy, and workforce readiness into their own classrooms.
I am the Library Media Specialist at River Bend Middle School and former Digital Learning and Innovation Specialist for Alexander County Schools. I hold degrees from Onondaga Community College (A.A. Humanities), Buffalo State College (B.S. Exceptional Education), Saint Joseph College... Read More →
STEM Bridges addresses the critical intersection of language acquisition and content mastery through a district-wide initiative serving multilingual learners in rural Ashe County, North Carolina. This session presents a model for creating portable STEM learning kits that circulate among educators, students, and families—transforming how schools support vocabulary development in all curricular areas. Participants will explore strategies for making abstract terminology concrete through visual learning tools, hands-on manipulatives, and family engagement workshops. The program builds sustainable systems for collaboration between ESL educators, content teachers, and media specialists. Attendees will leave with ideas for designing visual vocabulary resources, practical frameworks for facilitating family STEM nights, and creating cross-departmental professional learning communities. This session demonstrates how strategic resource sharing and culturally responsive teaching practices can dismantle language barriers that prevent students from accessing rigorous STEM coursework and future career opportunities.
Media Coordinator/SparkLab Leader, Ashe County High School
Tonya Denny, a native of Ashe County, North Carolina, serves in dual roles as Media Coordinator and SparkLab Leader at Ashe County High School. After earning her Bachelor's degree in K-6 Education and Master's degree in Library Science from Appalachian State University, Tonya has... Read More →
