Learning through exploration has become a guiding principle in today's educational world. We've explored how project based learning can be beneficial to elementary school students and high school students. But now we head to Plymouth where middle school students are able to use this more hands on approach to learning.

Children will sometimes act out when they're at school, but simply punishing them may not be the best approach. Finding out why they're acting out could be the key to correcting that behavior. To help facilitate this course correction and make sure children are getting the most out of their education, the New Prairie United School Corporation has started using Trauma Informed methods. We learn some of the these methods and how it's not just the teachers using them throughout the school day.

Michigan Works! gives adults thinking about completing their high school diploma or GED the chance to succeed. The program makes it possible for students to complete their work in their own time by offering online classes to students with busier schedules. Their programs are designed around individualized instruction so students can have one on one attention with instructors to help them reach their goals. Michigan Works! makes these services available for free for students and they even assist with the cost of testing

African Americans helped to build the foundation of this country. In recognition of this, the Community Foundation established the African American Community Fund initiative in 1999. This initiative consists of one primary fund and more than 20 individual funds established by African American families and organizations. These organizations include HighScope, Imagination Library, and so much more.

In an effort to be part of the South Bend community, IU South Bend has launched a series of monthly lectures they're calling Pop-Up University. These free and open to the public lectures feature university professors speaking on a variety of topics ranging from literary writing to environmental science.

Language is all around us, but not every language is expressed in words. The Culver School Corporation has incorporated American Sign Language as one of the languages students can choose to learn. We find out how some students are taking what they learn in the classroom and using it to communicate with those who are deaf or hard of hearing.        

El Sistema is a publicly financed, voluntary sector, music-education program, founded in Venezuela in 1975 by Venezuelan educator, musician, and activist José Antonio Abreu. Since then, the program has emerged as a global movement that promotes children and youth engagement in community and school-based music-making experiences. Roosevelt STEAM Academy in Elkhart Community Schools was the first school in the county to launch an El Sistema inspired program with a vision to integrate music into the daily school schedule and provide all students with the opportunity to play an instrument and the program continues to make a big impact in the Elkhart Community.

Community Action for Education (CAFE) is a group of parents, organizers, and educational leaders in the South Bend community working to address issues plaguing local schools. Racial Bias, the school to prison pipeline, and charter school regulations are among the many topics often discussed. It's their hope that through community involvement we can work to make the school place better for all students and teachers.

Play is learning. That's the approach taken through a program known as Tinkergarten. Here, children are brought together to learn in a natural setting. The kids are able to learn and develop a variety of skills like problem solving, collaboration and creativity. This is a national movement, but we head to our own Tinkergarten in Elkhart to learn.

Being nice. It seems like it should be one of the easiest things in the world to do, but often times people forget how to do it. That's why a program called Be Nice was created. The program provides the tools for schools and communities to stamp out bullying. We head up to Dowagiac to see how they're using this program throughout their entire school system.

The old saying goes..."You're never too old to learn a new trick!" The Forever Learning Institute has been in the business of providing seniors in our community with the opportunity to continue to expand their knowledge and serve their community. The courses are taught by an all-volunteer faculty and cover topics such as dance, music, foreign languages, creative arts, literature, spirituality, health and wellness, technology and computers, and business. The Institute believes that programs like theirs fill a much-needed void in senior adult life, providing intellectual stimulation, social interaction and physical activities for a largely ignored population. Education and participation in intellectual pursuits should not end at high school or college, but continue throughout our lives.

Vocational training offers students the chance to gain hands on training as well as experience in the workforce. The Impact Institute was formed by a joint service agreement between ten school corporations in June 1969, with the goal of providing vocational programs, administering adult education and coordinating communications with the Indiana Department of Education and other state agencies. The thirteen currently school corporations currently served are located in the five northeast Indiana counties of Noble, DeKalb, LaGrange, Steuben, and Whitley. The Impact Institute's vocational and adult education programs use a competency-based curriculum approach and rely on student data and industry driven standards for continuous improvement. Through the support of consortium members, Impact Institute is also the vehicle used in the implementation of other change initiatives, such as School-to-Work, Tech Prep and the Technical Education Initiative.