Safety education just took a major step forward in Cobb County, with a groundbreaking event for a new interactive classroom sanctuary. In collaboration with UL Research Institutes’ Office of Research Experiences & Education, Cobb's Safety Village initiated construction for the state-of-the-art ULRI Interactive Classroom. This facility is designed to deliver a powerful learning experience to middle and high school students, offering insights into practical safety situations such as fire dynamics, forensics, and responsible handling of lithium-ion batteries.
Cobb County Safety Village, a unique educational environment sprawled over 8 acres, already stands out with its miniaturized buildings, streets, and traffic systems that teach safety in tangible ways. Its expansion to include the interactive classroom represents a further commitment to educating young minds on real challenges faced in everyday life, like fire and water hazards, and the ins and outs of car seat safety.
The interactive classroom is backed by resources from ULRI’s research institutes and an educational platform, Xplorlabs.org. According to a statement by Cobb County, these resources are carefully crafted based on Next Generation Science Standards. Xplorlabs has also been introduced across four metro Atlanta school districts with positive reception, in collaboration with local fire departments.
"UL Research Institutes is committed to educating future safety scientists," Charlotte Farmer, Ph.D., COO of ULRI, announced at the event. Kelly Keena, Ph.D., and senior director at ULRI's Office of Research Experiences & Education, further explained, "Xplorlabs brings real-world scenarios into the classroom, ranging from how fires start and how fire sprinklers are activated to how our cellphone batteries are created and recycled, and the importance of properly caring for lithium-ion batteries. In doing so, students can better understand both science and safety." These interactive modules are not only geared towards stirring interest in STEM fields but also equip students to make informed safety decisions daily.
Allison Carter, director of the Cobb County Safety Village, summed up the vision behind this endeavor, saying that education is crucial in mitigating risks and safeguarding communities. With the completion of the ULRI Interactive Classroom projected for 2025, the village anticipates extending its educational impact from elementary to older students. The facility is set to offer dynamic workshops and practical investigations enriching the safety education of future generations.
