Ashley Cooper

Ashley's approach to education is beautifully captured in her favorite quote from Fred Rogers: "Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But for children, play IS serious learning. Play is really the work of childhood." This philosophy shines through in everything she does, particularly in her innovative
Maker Space Fridays program.

Ashley's commitment to making learning meaningful, hands-on, and connected to the real world creates an environment where students don't just learn—they discover, create, and develop a genuine love for learning.

Every Friday, Mrs. Cooper's students step into Maker Space—a time dedicated to hands-on exploration, creativity, and discovery. Some weeks, students have the freedom to create whatever their imaginations dream up. Other weeks, they tackle specific challenges that build science and engineering skills. It's a perfect blend of structured learning and creative play that gives students the opportunity to experiment, problem-solve, and bring their ideas to life.

Recently, Mrs. Cooper's class embarked on an inspiring project that connected music, environmental science, and social awareness. After watching a 60 Minutes documentary about the Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, Paraguay, students learned about a community built around a landfill where residents make their living as trash pickers.

The documentary told the remarkable story of Favio Chavez, an environmental engineer and musician, who wanted to teach the children of Cateura how to play music. Faced with a lack of instruments, Chavez partnered with Cola Gomez, a local trash picker and carpenter, to create beautiful, functional instruments from landfill materials. The result? An orchestra that has inspired people worldwide.

Mrs. Cooper's students took this concept and ran with it. They designed and built their own percussion instruments using recyclable materials, experimenting with different materials to change sounds and pitch. But the learning didn't stop there. The project became a springboard for studying the environmental impact of trash and inspired students to take action in their own community through cleaning initiatives and practicing the three R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

Learn more about the Recycled Orchestra