February 22-28, 2026

Engineering Week

Our junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE), in partnership with our school's Civil Engineering Club, is organizing learning opportunities for International Engineering Week 2026.

Events and activities are organized around the theme of responsibility, sustainability, and equity: "Designing for Good." We're also recognizing the important contributions of African American inventors, designers, and engineers during the week with picture book readings to K-1, guest visits by professional engineers, and engagement with local collegiate NSBE chapters.

Check out the planned calendar of events below. Please note: The schedule is subject to change due to ongoing weather concerns this week.

Schedule of Activities

Monday, February 23

Guest Speakers Visit Grades 5-6 (9:00-9:45am)

Wednesday, February 25

NSBE Jr. Field Trip to Penn Engineering and Lunch with Penn NSBE Chapter (10:10am-1:35pm)

Philly ASCE YMF and Civil Engineering Club Activity with Grades 6-7 (2:40-3:20pm)

Thursday, February 26

NSBE Jr. Reads Engineering Picture Books in K-1 (8:50-9:15am)

Friday, February 27

NSBE Jr. Reads Engineering Picture Books in K-1 (8:50-9:15am)

Temple University NSBE Chapter Visit to Grade 5 (1:00-2:00pm)

GUEST SPEAKERS: ReSPONSIBLE AND RESPONSIVE DESIGN

On Monday, February 23, Grades 5-6 were joined by three guest speakers who shared how they use design thinking to solve problems and help people. Even though they had planned to visit our school in person, the speakers were gracious enough to join us via Zoom on our virtual learning day.

Danita Reese, who works with the City of Philadelphia's PHL Design Service Studio, spoke about how she centers her design work on understanding the needs of people across the city. Through prototyping, observing, interviewing, and iterating, she is able to work with her team to create things that are responsive, useful, and equitable. For instance, she has helped redesign instructions for voters who use mail in ballots.
James Waldon and Gabriel Hohag, who both work with the architecture and design firm S/L/A/M Collaborative, described how they use models to collaboratively design structures alongside a diverse team of engineers and users. James encouraged students to visit museums and to travel to learn about architecture and to find inspiration.

Special thanks to Giana Lawrence-Primus for organizing today's guest speakers.

FIELD TRIP: PENN Engineering and Penn NSBE

On Wednesday, February 25, members of our NSBE junior chapter visited Penn Engineering, the GRASP Lab, and the Cora Ingram Center to learn about engineering and college life. After learning about robotics with AI, robots at the microscale, and robots inspired by origami, students were treated to lunch with members of the Penn NSBE chapter.

Special thanks to everyone at Penn Engineering for making the day so wonderful for our students!

GUEST SPEAKERS: PHILLY ASCE YMF

On Wednesday, February 25, grades 6-7 met with engineers affiliated with the Philadelphia American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Younger Member Forum (YMF) to learn about different kinds of civil engineering and to engage in a paper tower building competition. Special thanks to Mr. G for arranging this visit as part of his Civil Engineering Club program.

READING To K-1: BOOKS ABOUT BLACK ENGINEERS

On Thursday and Friday, February 26-7, members of our NSBE jr chapter read books about engineering and coding to students in grades K-1 during morning meeting on Thursday and Friday this week in celebration of International Engineering Week and Black History Month. Most of the books featured African American inventors and creators. Thank you to MANAS for helping to purchase many of these books for our Wildcat Workshop STEM library.

GUEST SPEAKERS: TEMPLE University NSBE

On Friday, February 27, members of the NSBE chapter at Temple University visited grade 5 to talk about what it’s like to be in NSBE and to be study engineering in college. Then, they completed a bridge building contest.