Local teacher selected to participate in national program | Community Spirit

Patti Harju, a 2nd grade teacher from St. Stephen Catholic School in East Grand Rapids, has been invited to participate in the nationally renowned Discovery Educator Network (DEN) Summer Institute.

During the school year Harju engages her students with multimedia, incorporating digital content, interactive lessons, and other materials from Discovery Education. Content is drawn from sites such as the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, TLC, and many others. These resources allow Harju and her students to move beyond traditional textbooks toward an immersive classroom experience that embraces technology and brings the world into the learning environment.

Selection to the DEN Summer Institute is a highly competitive process. The institute will give Harju the opportunity for learning alongside innovative educators from across the country. It is an intense professional development and networking experience that takes place July 21-26 at Montana State University in Bozeman.

Harju leaves for the summer institute on Saturday. We would be happy to arrange interviews with her by phone or in person Thursday or Friday.