Amazon commemorates first Think Big Space at River Oaks Elementary

Amazon Web Services and Prince William County Public Schools officials gathered to celebrate the first Think Big Space at River Oaks Elementary School, 16950 McGuffeys Trail in Woodbridge.

The company held the event on Thursday, April 13, 2023. Since the space — two brightly colored classrooms outfitted with technology — opened in 2019, 60 more have opened worldwide.

Amazon operates several data centers in the region.

There’s a classroom in Prince William County, Virginia, where kids are having so much fun they tend to forget they’re actually in school.

Whether they’re playing the role of geologist for a day and making their own rocks, or experimenting as a scientist using augmented reality software to closely examine plant cells, the students who come to the Amazon Web Services (AWS) Think Big Space at River Oaks Elementary School are learning in a place that doesn’t feel like an ordinary classroom.

It is one of more than 60 Think Big Spaces around the world. These AWS-sponsored educational spaces provide a place beyond the classroom where students can explore and cultivate an interest in STEAM subjects. The technology, curriculum, and even the furniture support hands-on learning. These spaces are located in regions like Eastern Oregon and Central Ohio in the U.S., and Dublin, Ireland; Mumbai, India; Sydney, Australia and elsewhere globally. Today, these out-of-the-box education labs are providing STEAM education access to more than 70,000 students.

“I tell the kids they could be a game changer—a world changer—in this room,” said Bill Nau, an innovative technology teacher for the lab, which is dedicated to hands-on science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) education for kindergarten through 5th graders. “You could be an astronomer or an engineer or a geologist. I want to give them an opportunity to see what the future holds for them.”

This Think Big Space, made up of two brightly colored classrooms with cutting-edge technology within the Woodbridge, Virginia, elementary school, was the first of its kind when AWS partnered with the district in 2019 to create it.

“We are thoughtful and intentional about the ways we partner with schools, parents, and students to make a positive impact,” said Cornelia Robinson, global head of inclusion and outreach for AWS.

Robinson was one of several AWS employees who brainstormed with Prince William County Schools leaders when the Think Big Space concept was initially imagined. The group wanted to bring STEAM education to students who might not otherwise have access to it, while investing in communities where AWS has a significant local presence with data centers and other facilities.

“We are a member of this community. We have employees that work and live right here in Prince William County,” said Wilberte Paul, a community engagement manager for AWS. “So we want to be good neighbors and invest in the community.”

The River Oaks Elementary and AWS partnership is well-rooted, with ongoing investment in the school’s facilities, technology and programs since the space first opened. This space was recently revamped through a donation from AWS, which included the addition of a new book vending machine, and funds for classrooms and teachers.

Since 2019, two other nearby schools have created similar Think Big Spaces with AWS. As for River Oaks, it is now providing STEAM access to another 20 Title 1 schools across Prince William County through regular field trips via the STEM/Spark program, a collaboration with the Children’s Science Center Lab in Fairfax County, Virginia, and Prince William County Schools.

The Woodbridge, Virginia space has become a model for Think Big Spaces globally.

“We have very similar conversations with schools around the world where teachers are facing similar challenges, and they want to provide their students with state-of-the-art technology and learning,” Robinson said. “They want their students to have an understanding of what they can be and where they can go. And they need a way to make it real for them.”

We are “Thinking Big” @RiverOaksPWCS for the AWS relaunch of the Think Big Space that allows students to be innovators, critical thinkers, and visionaries. We have robots, astronomy, coding, and so much more to explore! Thank you @awscloud for generously investing in our young… pic.twitter.com/okLZi7smqS

— LaTanya D. McDade, Ed.D. (@LDMcDade) April 13, 2023