Since 2009, the FMS Technology Department has organized the 21CL Technology Expo. This special event is specifically designed for middle and high school students to showcase the projects they have been working on throughout the academic year. These projects utilize the technology that Farmington Municipal Schools provides to the students. See the projects at https://21cltechexpo.com.
Each middle school submitted between four and six projects, while Farmington High School and Piedra Vista High School each submitted fifteen and sixteen respectively. Every year, around 50 to 75 students participate in the Expo either individually or as part of a group.
“The student-driven projects never fail to impress with their creativity and exemplify important skills such as effective communication, analytical reasoning, adept problem-solving, imaginative thinking, groundbreaking innovation, and collaboration,” said Eli Thomas, the FMS District Technology Specialist. These projects help our students think about the world they will enter after graduation and the skills they will need to succeed, from expressing ideas clearly and quickly to working well with others, he added.
To support students, our middle and high schools have site coordinators who select the best project from their school to represent them at the Expo.
Participants receive a certificate and a gift bag filled with freebies and coupons donated by local businesses. Additionally, all participants are entered into a random drawing to win bigger prizes organized by the FMS Technology Department.
The Technology Department initiated the FLI Showcase (formerly known as the 21CL Technology Expo) in the spring of 2009, which coincided with the introduction of the Farmington Learning Initiative (FLI). The FLI provided laptops to all 6th-8th grade students in our district. The Expo is not a competition, but rather a platform to highlight the best projects from across the district.
Above is a photo of one of the two winning posters for this year's expo. Both posters were designed by FMS students.