Two Norwalk Public Schools leaders, Victor Black, Ph.D., and Beth Furnari, recently shared a powerful reflection in SmartBrief on the transformative impact of Project-Based Learning — an approach that has long been central to Carver’s own work with students.
In their article, Dr. Black, director of Norwalk Public Schools’ Magnet School Assistance Program, and Beth Furnari, principal of P-TECH Norwalk, describe Project-Based Learning as a way for students to engage deeply with real-world problems, develop original solutions, and present their work to authentic audiences. They write that PBL builds not only academic knowledge, but also critical thinking, collaboration, creativity, communication, confidence, and student agency.
Their examples are inspiring: students designing sneaker-search apps, smart garbage bins that generate shopping lists, and even an adaptive sports helmet for an athlete with a hearing deficit. These are not ordinary classroom assignments. They are demonstrations of what happens when young people are invited to imagine, build, test, explain, and lead.
At Carver, this philosophy is deeply familiar. For many years, Carver programs have embraced hands-on, project-based learning across after-school, summer, STEAM, college readiness, workforce development, and enrichment experiences. Whether students are building robots, conducting science experiments, creating art, developing business ideas, preparing for careers, or solving team-based challenges, Carver’s programs are designed to help students learn by doing.
The article also highlights one of the reasons PBL matters so much in a diverse district like Norwalk: it helps students see themselves differently. Dr. Black and Principal Furnari describe PBL as “the great equalizer,” noting that when students realize they can succeed in school, their confidence, attendance, behavior, and academic performance can begin to change.
That belief aligns closely with Carver’s mission. Carver partners with schools, families, and community organizations to help students discover their strengths, build real skills, and prepare for future success. Project-Based Learning is one of the most effective ways to make that happen because it connects learning to purpose.
We congratulate Dr. Black and Principal Furnari for sharing this important work with a national audience — and for helping elevate an instructional approach that reflects what Carver students demonstrate every day: when young people are trusted to think, create, collaborate, and lead, they rise.