SHARPLiteracy

Hedy Lamarr wasn’t just a stunning Hollywood actress in the '30s and '40s—she was also a brilliant inventor who helped shape modern technology! During World War II in 1942, Hedy teamed up with composer George Antheil to invent a groundbreaking radio signaling device that could switch frequencies to prevent enemies from decoding secret messages. Though never used in war, this idea became the foundation for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and modern radio communication! It was only at the end of 20th century that Hedy was properly recognized, garnering awards right before her death in 2000 for her incredible inventions. At SHARP, students use the radio function, sound, and Bluetooth capabilities in their coding projects with the Micro:bit. These wireless technologies are built on principles pioneered by Hedy Lamarr’s groundbreaking work in frequency-hopping spread spectrum. Without her contributions, modern wireless communication—including the tools our students use—would not exist. Thanks to innovators like Hedy, our students can explore coding, creativity, and invention, paving the way for future technological breakthroughs!

Mark Your Calendars! 📅 Join us on Thursday, May 22 at @3rdStMarketHall, for a night of food and fun! 🍽️✨ Savor delicious small plates crafted by top Milwaukee chefs—all made with McDonald’s ingredients! Plus, enjoy exciting silent auction items and try your luck at our gift card wall. Don’t miss this unforgettable evening! 🎉

We are excited to welcome Dana Johnson to our Board of Directors!

We are deeply grateful to the sponsors of the Interschool Design Challenge. Your generosity and support make this event—and our Code & Build program—possible, empowering young minds to learn, create, and innovate. Thank you to Fiserv and the Milwaukee Bucks, AO Smith, Associated Bank, Brady, Generac, Milwaukee Tool, Northwestern Mutual, Rockwell Automation, and the Steve Stricker American Family Insurance Foundation. Thank you for making a difference! 💙🚀 Also a huge shoutout and heartfelt thank you to this year’s incredible Interschool Design Challenge volunteer judges! 🎉👏 Your time, expertise, and enthusiasm played a vital role in making this event a success. From evaluating innovative projects to offering encouragement and valuable feedback, your support truly made a difference in the students' experience. Thank you to Steph Brown of @tmj4, Angela Gilman of the @Bucks, Derek Mosley of @MarquetteU Law School, Ted Perry of @fox6now, Nick Sullivan of BDO, and Stacy Zaja of @NM_Financial.

The 4th Annual Interschool Design Challenge at Fiserv Forum was a true celebration of creativity, innovation, and teamwork! Yesterday, 108 4th graders from 14 schools across Milwaukee and Waukesha came together to present their incredible projects — developed over 16 weeks in the Code & Build course. From coding to prototyping to fine-tuning their presentation skills, these young innovators brought their bold ideas to life. The excitement was palpable as they presented their projects to celebrity judges—a moment of pride for everyone involved! With so many impressive projects, the judges faced a tough decision, requiring a last-minute deliberation between the top two teams who tied for 1st place. Congratulations to our top three teams 🏅 1st Place – Cass Street School with Keeping Dogs Safe 2nd Place – Hadfield Elementary School with Health Headphones 3rd Place – Escuela Vieau with Relaxation Headphones The future is bright, and it starts with these brilliant minds! @waukeshaschools @MilwaukeeMPS

Programming is underway for 5th grade SHARP students, who are excited to explore how electricity and circuits can enhance their coding skills with the Microbit! In this program, students dive into the world of mini circuits as they program the Microbit and participate in hands-on activities. They will learn to make a buzzer produce sounds, create LED sequences, and much more. Once they master these skills, students will apply what they have learned to design a project focused on transportation and safety. They can create a police car with functioning lights and sirens 🚨, a traffic light that changes and signals when it is safe for pedestrians to cross 🚦, or even an airplane landing strip 🛬! The possibilities are endless for our SHARP 5th grade students as they complete the Code and Circuit program.

In late February, SHARP school year and summer educators participated in our first "Art Educator Professional Development" session. Much like an apple nourishes the body, this session fueled educators with fresh ideas and creative inspiration! They explored how SHARP integrates the arts into workshops, learned best practices for teaching art regardless of their arts backgrounds, and discovered how the arts enhance our STEAM and tech-based learning models. Additionally, they got a sneak peek at our Summer Learning Program curriculum, channeling their inner artist by creating THREE art projects— including printmaking with real onions and apples to create unique patterns. 🍏🎨

Happy Women's History Month! To kick off our celebration, we're spotlighting Ada Lovelace, the world’s first computer programmer. The daughter of renowned poet Lord Byron, Ada received an advanced education, pursuing math and science from a young age. At 17, she met Charles Babbage, the originator of the mechanical computer, and translated his work on the Analytical Engine, adding groundbreaking insights about how coding could process letters and symbols — as well as numbers. She also theorized "looping," a coding method that repeats instructions. Today, Ada’s legacy lives on in SHARP's Upper Elementary lessons. Whether designing a video game or building a prototype, SHARP students apply the concept of looping block code to repeat functions and streamline their projects!

Thank you to the Bertrand Hopper Memorial Foundation and SHARP Board Member Randy Hopper for being amazing champions of our programs! For the past seven years, the Foundation has teamed up with the @MarquetteMBB athletes to help us score big with the Reading with the Golden Eagles Program. Throughout the school year, athletes from the MBB visit our classrooms to read with the students and inspire them to think about how a college degree can change their future. For every rebound made during a home game, the Bertrand Hopper Memorial Foundation generously donates to SHARP! Last week, we were thrilled to accept a slam dunk of a check for $10,000 at a @MarquetteU Golden Eagles home game. Thank you to Randy and Marquette University for making such a powerful impact on our students!

Last month, Kluge’s (@MilwaukeeMPS) 3rd graders took their coding skills beyond the screen during their Educational Tour Experience at @discoveryworld ! 🤖 In small groups, students programmed @LEGO_Group Mindstorm EV3 robots to move and capture objects, reinforcing the real-world impact of coding. A huge thank you to Discovery World for helping our students put their SHARP programming into motion!

We still have one big thank you left for Unwrapped Waukesha — and it goes to the amazing @LoFredrich! Not only did she serve as our fearless Emcee, but she also donated a fabulous silent auction package (a copy of her book, spices from PS Seasonings, a hand-carved cheese board, and a $150 gift card to Story Hill BKC). She also signed copies of her Wisconsin Field to Fork: Farm Fresh Recipes from the Dairy State cookbook, and gave a portion of each book sale back to SHARP! Lori, we’re beyond grateful for your incredible generosity and support!

Still floating on cloud nine after the incredible success of Unwrapped Waukesha! A HUGE thank you to our talented chefs, generous sponsors, and amazing Co-Chairs and volunteers who knocked it out of the park to make Sunday afternoon at @wisconsinbrewingcomp Park an unforgettable experience! With record-breaking attendance and a whopping $7,000 over our fundraising goal, this event was truly a home run! We’re beyond grateful for everyone who came together to support our community — and we can’t wait to do it all again at Unwrapped MKE on Thursday, May 22, at 3rd Street Market Hall! Mark your calendars — we hope to see you there for more delicious bites, drinks, and fun! Participating Chefs and Restaurants: Lee Christenson of Bryant's on the Round Jesse Kloskey of The Commodore Morgan Perry of Daybreak Prime Meats & Deli Maxwell LeClaire of Rise and Shine Dustin Howard of Saz's Hospitality Group Sergio Hernandez of @WisBrewingCo

Happy Black History Month! Renowned as a “human computer,” Dorothy Vaughan was a pioneering mathematician at @NASA who played a vital role in key missions during the space race. When NASA transitioned to computer technology in the 1950s, Dorothy became a trailblazer, teaching computer programming to her team and becoming one of the first female coders. Her legacy continues to inspire, and at SHARP, our students follow in her footsteps, learning to code in our Upper Elementary Program. By providing early exposure to these valuable skills, we’re helping shape the next generation of innovators, just as Dorothy did for the space race!

Looking for something fun to do on Sunday? Why not join SHARP Literacy and friends for an afternoon of comfort food, fun, and community! Buy your tickets today and we’ll see you on Sunday! 🎉When: Sunday, February 23, 2025 | 1:00 – 4:00 PM 🗺️Where: @WisBrewingCo Park 🎟️Purchase your tickets at bit.ly/unwrappedwauke…

We appreciate @Azuraliving for their Bronze Sponsorship of Unwrapped Waukesha! From comfortable living to compassionate care Azura is designed with your loved one in mind. Azura was established to create an inspiring company with a healthy and positive environment for guests, residents and team members. We appreciate your support of our mission! Join SHARP Literacy on Sunday, February 23 at @WisBrewingCo Park for Unwrapped Waukesha. Learn more and purchase tickets at bit.ly/unwrappedwauke….

Don't forget to check out the Unwrapped Waukesha Silent Auction! There are several wonderful items to bid on for you and your family. You do not need to attend the event to participate in the auction, everyone can bid and win! UnwrappedW2025.givesmart.com @LoFredrich @Donald_Driver80 @mkeadmirals @DockHounds @MKEPublicMuseum @MKEPanthers

A big thank you to @rwbaird ECAB Group for being a Gold Sponsor of this year’s Unwrapped Waukesha. The ECAB Group helps you keep your investments simple by keeping their approach straightforward, cost-effective and tax-efficient, with minimal moving parts. We appreciate your continued support! Join SHARP Literacy on Sunday, February 23 at @WisBrewingCo Park for Unwrapped Waukesha. Learn more and purchase tickets at bit.ly/unwrappedwauke….

SHARP's Mid-Year Report is here! Want to see how our programming is shaping young minds? Scroll through for dynamic snapshots from each grade, showcasing the exciting skills students are learning. Plus, hear heartfelt testimonials from SHARP educators, parents, and partner schools. Click the link below to discover how we’re making a positive impact on elementary students in the Milwaukee and Waukesha areas. sharpliteracy.org/wp-content/upl…

The Unwrapped Waukesha Silent Auction is live! Place a bid (or two!) and treat yourself to some one-of-a-kind and fun items. Take a peek to see some of the amazing options. You do not need to attend the event to participate in the auction, everyone can bid and win! UnwrappedW2025.givesmart.com @IndulgenceChoco @lakelouiebeers Glorioso's Italian Market @Bucks