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About

Innovation

BB&N continues to value and support innovation and believes it is a critical aspect of the faculty and student experience. Under the leadership of the Teaching and Learning Office, BB&N has brought together the resources and staff to develop several new innovation-related initiatives over the past several years.

Where Innovation Meets Education

BB&N values innovation as a key element of both the faculty and student experience, fostering essential skills like creative thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving. This commitment ensures that students are prepared for future challenges and that educational practices stay cutting-edge.

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Innovation Grants

BB&N believes in creating spaces and providing resources for experimentation with new ideas, new approaches, and new collaborations. Innovation Grants provide an opportunity for faculty, staff, and students with courageous ideas to lead projects that “disrupt, evolve, transform, and/or enhance current teaching and learning practices.” Recent innovation grants include the BB&N Arts Fest, a Maker Space course during spring break, a pollinator garden, and the creation of a student-led Outdoor Recreation Club.

  • Woodworking & 3D Design
  • Sustainable Gardening and Curriculum Integration: Greenhouse, Pollinator Garden, and Critter Cam
  • Outdoor Club
  • Community Engagement Service Fair
  • Bivouac & Beyond
  • Maker Break: Wearables Edition
  • Upper School Serenity Room
  • BB&N Arts Fest
  • Upper School Round Tables
  • Senior Spring Project ePortfolios
  • Beginners Outdoor Environment
  • Shifting Gears: A Community in Motion for Sustainable Transport at BB&N
  • Knights Career Talks
  • Lower School Greenhouse
  • Vanguard Newspaper Conference
  • RECess Equipment Storage Shed (REC.E.S.S.)
  • Smart Sort
  • From Past to Progress: A Multidisciplinary Exploration of D.C.’s Diversity and Equity
  • HacKnight/Coding Summit
  • KnightConnect
  • Podcasting Class Development
  • From Identity Consciousness to Identity Mindfulness: Cultivating Flexibility of Self-Definition in the High School History Classroom
  • Harnessing the Wind: Exploring the World with a Miniboat
  • African Drumming, Dancing, and Singing Instruction & Equipment
  • 7th Grade Science
  • Spring Ethics Bowl Scrimmage
  • KnightMUN

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Visiting Innovators

The Visiting Innovator Program, funded through the generosity of the BB&N Class of 2023, brings an innovative professional to BB&N to lead workshops and community and professional development sessions throughout the academic year. Depending on the person’s area of expertise, they may also work directly with students.

2024/2025: Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs is a visual artist, organizer, and community builder who has transformed the cultural landscape of Boston through his powerful art and commitment to youth education.

2023/2024: Dr. Liza Talusan is an educator, facilitator, and strategic change partner for organizations, corporations, leadership teams, schools and individuals who are looking to build their skills in areas of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and leadership. She leads with compassion and connection, even when conversations are difficult and challenging.

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Teaching & Learning Conferences

2024/2025: Human-Centered AI in Education: Insights, Discussions, and Hands-On Applications with Eric Hudson

2023/2024: Depolarizing Our Classrooms and School Communities

2022/2023: AI in K-12 Education

Learn more about BB&N’s innovative programing.

Maker Spaces

From glue guns to 3-D printers, BB&N’s maker spaces are hubs of creativity, problem solving, and collaboration.

Bivouac

Ever wonder how 10 days in the woods sets the tone for the BB&N Upper School learning experience?

Professional Development

Great educators make it their mission to never stop learning, and BB&N supports myriad pathways to make it happen.

Senior Spring Project

Seniors close out their time at BB&N by branching out of the classroom to start building the bridge to their journey beyond high school.