This afternoon the Wildcat Creation Station in the Lower School at University School of Milwaukee was in full swing! Young students experimented with Lilypads, a variation of the Arduino micro-controller, that is designed to be used in clothing and other textiles. Students sewed the Lilypad into their designs using conductive thread, rather than wires, to create circuits that work with sensors and lights controlled by drag and drop programming written with Ardublock software. Critical thinking, problem solving, and creativity were evident as students learned, as were enormous amounts of sheer joy!
Students also programmed Dash, their robots, using the Blockly app on iPads to explore variables, events, and conditions as they raced one another across the room. Students were engaged and challenged as they learned new concepts with developmentally appropriate tools that will grow in sophistication as they progress at USM. Like the Upper School’s House of Technology, this space was a little noisy, messy, and full of engaged learners! I can’t wait to visit again soon!
About NikkiSweeney
It is difficult to fully express my gratitude for the journey I have had in education and the deep sense of purpose that continues to guide my work. After serving as Assistant Head of School and Head of Upper School at The Village School of Naples, I have transitioned to continue my life’s work through Pay It Forward Enterprises. While the setting has evolved, the mission remains the same: advancing the lives of young people through leadership, innovation, and meaningful human connection.
My path has been shaped by more than two decades at the University School of Milwaukee, where I served as Director of Innovation, Educational Technology, and Entrepreneurship. It has been strengthened by graduate studies in Educational Leadership and Technology in Education. But the true foundation of my work has always been the students themselves. Their curiosity, their questions, and their desire to lead lives of purpose continue to inspire everything I do.
That inspiration led to my earlier book, The Virtue Code: A Guide to Flourish for the AI Generation, which reflects a generation’s desire to navigate a rapidly changing world with both wisdom and integrity. More recently, it has shaped my newest work, The Quiet Crisis and the Future Worth Building, where I explore a deeper and more urgent reality: why educators are leaving, how the structure of schooling is being challenged, and what must come next as we rethink learning in an age of artificial intelligence.
Together, these works represent both a belief in human potential and a call to action. One focuses on the development of young people. The other examines the systems meant to serve them.
At Pay It Forward Enterprises, I am building on this foundation by helping students, educators, and leaders unlock potential, strengthen connection, and design more human-centered approaches to learning. I am especially energized by the opportunity to explore how technology can elevate, rather than replace, what matters most: relationships, purpose, and the cultivation of a meaningful life.
The journey continues, and I could not be more energized to keep growing, learning, and paying it forward.
Nikki B. Sweeney 