Page 17 - The Edge - Back to School 2017

SUMMER CONFERENCE AND EXPO

BY DON HARRIS

STEM Educator Built an Improbable

Dream with 4 Hispanic Students

Fredi Lajvardi

Fredi Lajvardi is living proof that he follows his credo: If life
doesn’t give you a dream, build one.
Lajvardi, a nationally recognized STEM educator who has been
teaching at Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix for 30 years,
Health & Wellness delivered a heart-warming keynote address at the AASBO Summer “I wasn’t really a teacher – I was a facilitator.
Rewarded Teamwork Conference and Expo on July 20. The kids started to get an identity. This was
Health Education Lajvardi’s improbable tale of success involves the high school,
which has one of the largest Hispanic enrollments in the country. As not just a gang school. People started to
Lajvardi noted, the Phoenix school, located at 3333 W. Roosevelt, is recognize you’re that school that builds and
in kind of a tough neighborhood.
What Lajvardi and a team of science students accomplished races electric cars. It identi ed something
was enough to generate interest from Hollywood. e result – a
Pool Savings documentary titled “Underwater Dreams,” and a 2015 full-length positive, and I watched that blossom. We
Investment Strategy motion picture, “Spare Parts,” starring George Lopez as Lajvardi. basically used over-the-counter technology –
Dedicated Resources “George Lopez was not on my list,” Lajvardi said with a laugh. “I
wanted Keanu Reeves.” Also in the lm was Jamie Lee Curtis, who nothing speci cally designed for a race car.”
played the principal at Carl Hayden High. “She did a great job,” — Fredi Lajvardi
Full Plan Administration Lajvardi said.
Purchasing Power When he rst started teaching science at Carl Hayden, Lajvardi
Tough Negotiation quickly realized that as soon as something went wrong, the
students would give up. In fact, today as new families move into
the neighborhood, Lajvardi still hears kids say that they are the rst We brought in experts in various elds. e kids learned how to
in their family to graduate from high school. work with tight timelines and a tight budget.”
However, Lajvardi saw the excitement students were having Once that competition ended, Lajvardi wanted something that
in a er-school activities. “So the kids and I started playing with would keep his students involved for an entire year. He found
science and technology,” Lajvardi said. “One of the rst things we the Marine Advanced Technology Education Center’s Remotely
did was build an electric car. I had never built a car before.” Operated Vehicle Competition. It involved underwater robots –
Lajvardi brought experts into the school to provide guidance electronics in water. e competition had two categories – high
More Value. Less Work. was 1991. He told his students if they compete in the high school category
on the project, and the next year they entered a competition. at school and university. Lajvardi chose the university category.
“I wasn’t really a teacher – I was a facilitator,” he said. “ e and lose, that’s going to be embarrassing. “You learn the most when
kids started to get an identity. is was not just a gang school. you fail,” Lajvardi said. “ e goal was to learn more from other
People started to recognize you’re that school that builds and races teams. If we lose to the universities, nobody is going to pick on us.”
electric cars. It identi ed something positive, and I watched that Lajvardi walked his AASBO audience step by step through the
blossom. We basically used over-the-counter technology – nothing competition. Instead of a glitzy presentation to judges on the process
Changing federal and local regulations can keep employers from speci cally designed for a race car.” involved in building the robot, the students described everything in
getting the best value and service for their insured workforce. at went on for about 10 years, but the competition died a three-ring binder. “Let’s go old school,” he said. “ ey didn’t talk
Valley Schools has hands-on experience in the public sector, out and Lajvardi started looking for another challenge. He came like Stanford and MIT, they talked like Carl Hayden kids.”
providing thoughtful and innovative consulting services which across an underwater robotics competition – First Robotics. First e other teams went into closed meetings with the judges with
result in the absolute best pricing in employee benefits and
insurance coverage. was an acronym: For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and charts and graphs, and were in there for 45 minutes each. Carl
Technology. Hayden’s team was done in 20 minutes. “ e kids were excited,”
“We joined that competition and had six weeks to build a robot Lajvardi recalled. “ ey answered every question from the judges.
visit myvalleyschools.org from scratch,” Lajvardi said. “We were nding a way to get the kids e judges ran out of questions. ey were asked why they didn’t
for more information engaged with STEM. We were able to connect kids with mentors. CONTINUED ON PAGE 19
Not your typical consultants Welcome back teachers and staff!

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