A Flagler County elementary school is hoping to become one of the area's most innovative schools -- but it needs help.

  • Rymfire Elementary's Hammock Project provides STEM space
  • Program up for Follett Challenge
  • School seeking votes for contest

The students are hoping votes for their Hammock Project could help continue to push them to become college and career ready.

"Here in the space, the Hammock, we let them be free, we let them build whatever they want with their creativeness and their imagination," said Melissa Braflat, community problem solver.

"They get to learn and have fun at the same time," said Bryce Willis, community problem solver.

Rymfire Elementary's fifth and sixth grade Community Problem Solvers team created the "Hammock Project" as a learning space in the media center earlier this school year.

This is the first of its kind in Flagler schools. It uses tools and toys to teach younger students science, technology, engineering and math, known as STEM, outside the classroom. 

"A lot of work went behind it, because we had to design the space, we had to figure out what toys we had to do, we had to look up toys, figure out if they're safe or not," said Marisa Canizales, community problem solver.

"That helps them later in life if they have STEM jobs or careers," said Willis.

Now the students are looking to expand their unique project within the media center to older students. They are aiming to win the Follett Company's challenge, which awards schools for innovative work.

"This project can go a long way if we have the right amount of money, and the right people doing it," said Canizales.

The project encourages creativity, critical thinking and team work.

As the older students teach the children, they are picking up lessons themselves.

"It makes me really happy that I could teach them that, because it actually makes my day to see their smiles," said Canizales.

"It helped me understand more about what STEM is and what STEM can do in the future. And it also helped me learn about teamwork and how to be there for one another and help one another," said Brafat.

The young problem solvers raised about $12,000 on their own this year to begin this project. They picked the furniture and helped put together everything in the space.

"We want to be an inspiration and spread it around other schools," said Braflat.

They're hoping they will become the Follett Champions.

"Vote for us," the students yelled.

The students will also present their project at a state competition in Orlando in March, and hope to participate in an international competition next.

Voting ends this Friday, Jan. 27 on the Follett Challenge.