As part of Coventry Public Schools’ partnership with the UConn Indoor Air Quality Initiative, many Coventry science students are engaged in studying indoor air quality, focusing on a real-world problem and design solutions. Students have been learning about the air quality index, particulates in the air, and ways students can work together as scientists to design and engineer clean air solutions.

On November 4 and 5, grade 7 students, high school chemistry students, and students in the Grades 4 and 5 Challenge and Enrichment Program participated in lessons that involved them in building Corsi-Rosenthal Boxes, which are air purifying fans. Once the fans are built, each classroom throughout the district will have an air purifying fan, and these students will study the impact of the fans on air quality.

Coventry teachers Valerie Ballek, Kyle Macsuga, Sean Parker and Michelle Trani along with K-12 STEM Specialist, Cindy Wilbur, have been collaborating with the UConn Indoor Air Quality Initiative team on lesson development and engaging students in this opportunity to participate as citizen scientists in studying air quality while contributing to the UConn Indoor Air Quality Initiative.

Coventry Public Schools participated in an Air Purifier Pilot project in 2021-2022 during which air purifying fans were placed in each classroom in support of innovative research conducted by the UConn Indoor Air Quality Initiative to determine the fans’ efficacy in reducing air particles and infectious aerosol.

The University of Connecticut Indoor Air Quality Initiative has been awarded 11.5 million in state support to provide effective and inexpensive air purifying fans to public school classrooms across the state.

This information was provided by the Coventry Public Schools Superintendent’s Office. For further information, please contact the Superintendent’s Office at 860-742-7317, Ext. 2.