Riding past baseball fields and a park through the cypress and oaked lined streets of Lafayette Woods Subdivision, you will find Village East Elementary School. Established in 1974, Village East housed serval grade levels over the years. At the start of the 2018-2019 school year, the school went through the most recent change from a middle school to becoming an elementary school severing an area that is rich with culture and diversity. (Terrebonne Parish School District). Village East Elementary School is a Title 1 school assisting 437 students in grades kindergarten to sixth. The student population comprises 53% African American, 20% Hispanic, 15% white, 4% American Indian and 3% Asian (School Digger, 2020). All Village East students participate in the Community Eligibility Provision that offers students free lunch based on the income of the community and surrounding area. As of 2019, Village East was ranked 17th of the 19 elementary schools in Terrebonne Parish and is currently a C school with the assessment index of 60.0 (Terrebonne Parish School District). This rating is due to the low-performance scores, student progress, and credit accumulation compared to other elementary schools in the Parish as well as the state of Louisiana, BUT these students with equitable opportunities and hands on learning will achieve success. The L.I.F.T. Teacher Grant will be so valuable to these students and the dedicated teachers working with them each day.

The purchase of the 3D pens and mats, along with filaments will allow entire classes to
experience hands-on learning in a new and exciting way. An extension of our current
Makespace, the addition of the 3D pens will encourage learners of all levels to express their
creativity through easy to use technology. It will enhance learning in the library as a fun
activity and help teachers incorporate the 3D pens into the classroom.

The students will be able to in Math 3D shapes come alive before their very eyes. Touching
and building cells in Science will allow the students a hands-on model of what they are
learning, reinforcing the magic of Science. In Social Living, discussing Ingenious Houses
will be transformed when students have the ability to build and create models with 3D pens.
The possibilities for student engagement are endless with the L.I.F.T. Teacher Grant.