Amcor Rigid Plastics held a reception on May 20, 2015 to display design concepts from 26 Luther C. Klager Elementary School fourth-graders as part of a six-week company-sponsored project.
Known as the 21st Century Global Cyber Pal Student Design Challenge, the project paired Manchester students in Joanna Van Raden’s fourth-grade class with 42 Australian third- and fourth-graders in Greensborough, Victoria to develop packaging design concepts for juice bottles, food containers and fruit snack pouches.
“I think the excitement and engagement from learning during this project has created a real interest in future careers,” said Van Raden, who’s taught in Manchester for more than 30 years.
“Collaboration with students in Australia has opened a whole new world of excitement made possible through advancements in technology and 21st century learning skills.”
During the project, Manchester and Greensborough students shared their packaging design ideas through an online educational platform called Edmodo.
They also viewed different weekly project video lessons compiled by two Amcor Rigid Plastics’ senior industrial designers, Rick Rangler and Greg Hurley.
“These videos emphasize the critical roles technology and teamwork play in creating innovative packaging designs,” Rangler said.
“It also represents a peek behind the packaging design curtain for students who are interested in learning more about this dynamic line of work.”
The project represents Amcor Rigid Plastics’ ongoing commitment to encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
In April, Amcor Rigid Plastics awarded an $8,000 Amcor Community Program grant to provide four Luther C. Klager Elementary School classrooms with technology and furniture to enhance students’ 21st century STEM learning experience.
“We’re committed to supporting educational programs that share our passion for responsible packaging in Manchester and other local communities,” said Charlie Schwarze, an Amcor Rigid Plastics global sustainability manager and Amcor Community Program administrator.
“We make community grants available so our co-workers can partner with local organizations to build better and stronger communities.”
The Amcor Community Program awards grants to organizations committed to food and environmental protection, education and delivery of essential products and services, including food, medicine and water to communities in need.
