Palm View K-8: A Woz ED Data Validated Pathway School
Palm View K-8, part of the Manatee County School District in Florida, is making waves as a leader in STEM education. Named the district’s first official Woz ED STEM Pathway School in 2023, Palm View quickly developed an exemplary STEM program for other schools in the district to follow. The school was also named the first Woz ED Career Pathway School in 2019, as well as a Science Pathway School in 2022. In 2024, Palm View achieved both Woz ED Data Validated status, which means that PEAR studies have found a correlation between student success and STEM-based learning, along with the title of Woz ED School of Distinction.
We checked in with three of Palm View’s dedicated STEM educators—Deven Schwindt, Robert Mullins, and Tarrah Keefe—to get an inside look at how STEM is transforming learning for students from kindergarten through eighth grade.
A School Built on Innovation
Palm View began its STEM journey through implementing 3D printing and drone tech into the art curriculum. This early experimentation helped lay the foundation for a full K–8 STEM transformation. Now fully integrated into the daily curriculum, STEM is not a special event but a central pillar of Palm View’s school culture.
Robert Mullins, originally an art teacher, now teaches Engineering and Technology at the middle school level and assists with the TSA program. Deven Schwindt, also on the middle school side, leads classes in Technology, Engineering, and TV production while co-directing the school’s TSA program. On the elementary side, Tarrah Keefe teaches K–5 STEM using a wide range of Woz ED kits and resources, focusing on one major unit each quarter. She also leads several clubs and TSA feeder programs like engineering club and Girls Who Code, a club which is meant to empower young women to explore careers in coding, a predominately male space.
STEM Programming: From Sketches to Final Product
Palm View’s approach is anything but ordinary. Students are not just learning STEM concepts—they’re building, creating, animating, coding, and competing.
In Mr. Mullins’ class, students go hands-on with laser cutters, 3D printers, stop-motion animation, and even entrepreneurship. His focus is on giving students the tools to turn ideas into reality. He says,
“We start with sketches, then build with clay, then create digital animations or physical products.” He adds that he is constantly asking his students questions like, “how could this become a business?” or “what’s the real-world value?”
Meanwhile, Ms. Schwindt’s classroom brings together emerging tech and storytelling. Her students explore video production, artificial intelligence (with Cubelets), and coding through Scratch—all skills that feed directly into competitions and community engagement, like local film festivals.
Even the youngest students dive into immersive technology. Ms. Keefe’s K–5 students rotate through units on robotics, coding, augmented and virtual reality, and more. Her approach is deliberate—using one Woz ED kit per quarter to ensure depth and meaningful learning. She says,
“You can’t do every single kit every single year. I want them to really understand what they’re doing, not just skim the surface.”
The TSA Program: STEM with a Competitive Edge
Palm View’s Technology Student Association (TSA) program is one to boast about. With nearly 40 competitions ranging from biotechnology and dragster racing to fashion design and video production, TSA keeps students engaged year-round.
Schwindt reveals Palm View’s impressive track record with TSA competitions stating, “We’re seventh in the state and twelfth in the nation,”
Competitions run throughout the academic year—regional and state events in fall and winter, then nationals in the summer. Past national competitions have taken students to Orlando and Nashville. Now they are setting their sites on a competition in Washington, D.C. TSA isn’t just an extracurricular—it’s a way for students to collaborate with each other, visit new places, and have fun whilst developing essential life skills.
“We build real sets. We go deep into storytelling. These aren’t just classroom projects—they’re production-level entries,” Mullins explains.
TSA competitions open up doors to a wide array of career potentials. Occasionally there are what are referred to as “pilot competitions,” such as board game design and fashion design that are tested at the state level before they become national, which gives students an opportunity to explore more specific professions.
Goals and Growth: Moving Forward with STEM
Palm View continues to expand its offerings. The school recently acquired two new Woz ED Pathways: STEM in Agriculture and Career Explorations. These additions will enrich already successful programs like biotechnology and career prep, which recently earned the school a second-place finish at the state level.
“We already do interviewing and career exploration, so we’re excited to see how this new pathway can help us level up,” says Schwindt.
The goal? To keep broadening horizons and helping students discover what excites them.
“We give them the flexibility to explore what they like, what they don’t like, and what they’re good at,” Schwindt continues.
The staff also collaborates on custom projects for the school, including awards and T-shirts, integrating real-world design and production into the daily student experience.
Why They Teach: Heart and Purpose Behind the Programs
Each teacher we spoke to has a unique “why,” the reason they show up every day ready to inspire the next generation of makers and thinkers.
Deven Schwindt loves the flexibility and creativity her role allows. She says , “We’re not locked into rigid standards. We can adapt to meet the needs of our students. It’s about the impact and influence we get to have.”
Robert Mullins brings a wide-ranging career background into the classroom and is often challenging his students to consider how projects can become real-world applications. He says, “These kids think they have one option—whatever their parents do. I want them to see there are other paths. I give them the tools to create and problem-solve. I love when a student comes to me with a challenge, and we work through it together.”
Tarrah Keefe, who teaches STEM to the youngest learners, has always felt called to education. She has dreamed of being a teacher since she was a young girl and doesn’t ever want to walk away from it. She says,
“I love the relationships that I get to form with my students. I get to watch students grow and develop into productive and empathetic adults. I love when students come back and connect with me down the road and we reflect on how they are implementing what they learned in my classroom into their later experiences.”
A Model for the Future
Palm View K-8’s STEM story is still unfolding—but it’s already having a major ripple effect. As a Woz ED Data Validated site and showcase school, it regularly hosts visits from other districts wanting to see STEM in action. What they find is a school where learning is tangible, student-led, and deeply relevant.
In a world where future careers are evolving faster than ever, Palm View isn’t just keeping up—it’s leading the way.
