Creativity, teamwork, and critical thinking took center stage this week at Ramseur Elementary as students stepped into the school’s brand-new Innovation Lab.

The lab marks the launch of Ramseur’s newest special class rotation—joining student favorites like music, art, P.E. and media. Designed as a hands-on environment, the Innovation Lab gives students a dedicated space to stretch their minds, test out new ideas, and build essential problem-solving skills alongside their peers.

This week, students in grades 2 through 5 faced their very first hands-on challenge: “Save Fred!”

Fred, a friendly gummy worm, found himself stranded on top of his capsized boat (a plastic cup) while his life preserver (a gummy lifesaver) remained trapped underneath. The catch? Working in small teams, students could only use four paperclips to rescue Fred, fit him into his life preserver, and get him safely back into his boat—all without dropping him into the "water" or touching any of the items directly with their hands.

Laughter and intense strategy sessions filled the room as teams tested different techniques, occasionally dropping Fred, tweaking their approach, and trying again.

Judging by the wide smiles and enthusiastic high-fives around the room as Fred was safely rescued, Ramseur students are more than ready to tackle whatever challenge the Innovation Lab throws at them next.