Keystone Oaks School District

As part of the Keystone Oaks School District’s commitment to creating student-centered classrooms that provide opportunities for students to engage in project-based learning experiences that build upon their content knowledge while developing real-world skills, the following programs, courses, and projects have been developed by Keystone Oaks educators over the past several years: 

Interdisciplinary Courses 

• Storytelling through Video Game Design and Literature. A new course at Keystone Oaks High School for the 2025-2026 school year, this class combines the worlds of English Language Arts and Video Game Design, giving students the opportunity to analyze traditional narrative structures, character development, themes, and symbolism in literature, while also learning how these elements are transformed and enhanced in interactive video game environments. 
   
• Fashion Design. Co-taught by an art teacher and a family and consumer science teacher, this course focuses on the elements of design and basic embroidery and sewing techniques to help students create original fashion items. 
   
• Middle School Restaurant. Seventh graders blend culinary arts with digital design in a one-of-a-kind, cross-curricular collaboration that results in a student-run restaurant, offering in-person and to-go dining options. Family & Consumer Science classes plan restaurant themes and menus, while Digital Innovations classes design websites and marketing materials. After a few weeks of planning and preparation, students open their themed restaurants for staff members to enjoy. 

Student-Run Small Businesses

• Golden Oaks Designs. Since the 2017-2018 school year, Golden Oaks Designs has been giving students the opportunity to put entrepreneurship at the center of the classroom learning experience. Initially supported by EdCorp and Real World Scholars, Golden Oaks Designs is a student-run business where students make and sell cornhole boards and bean bags, hand-turned pens, pencils and cases, wooden personalized cutting boards, charcuterie boards, laser-engraved night lights, and more. Students then sell these items at various vendor events, including the Handmade Arcade and the Home & Garden Show, both at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. 
  
  With the guidance of Technology Education teachers Craig Wetzel and Dennis Sarchet, students run every aspect of the business - from product design and manufacturing, to finance and marketing, giving them an inside look at the elements that go into operating a successful small business. 
  
  Videos about Golden Oaks Designs have been produced and featured by EdCorp’s Building Beyond the Classroom video series and Harbor Freight’s Tools for Schools program.
   
• KOffee Shop. Opened in February 2025, Keystone Oaks High School’s student-run KOffee Shop is more than just a place for students and staff to get their morning caffeine fix - it is a shining example of student creativity, innovation, collaboration, and inclusivity.
  
  Thanks to a $3,000 mini grant from the Grable Foundation and Remake Learning, high school students - under the guidance of technology education teacher Mr. Craig Wetzel -  took full ownership of the shop’s design and construction. Students used CAD software to carefully plan the layout, selected every design element - from hardware to paint colors - and used a laser engraver and a CNC machine to add custom elements to some of the materials that were used.
  
  The KOffee Shop fosters inclusivity by providing community-based instruction for life skills students. Under the direction of the high school’s life skills teacher, students work alongside their peers to complete a variety of tasks that keep the coffee shop running smoothly and efficiently.

Partnerships

• Catalyst Connections. Keystone Oaks High School students who are considering careers in engineering and manufacturing have the opportunity to earn industry-approved credentials towards an Industrial Manufacturing Technician certification through an independent study pre-apprenticeship program offered by Catalyst Connection.
   
• Educators Rising. Keystone Oaks High School students who are considering careers in education have the opportunity to take a year-long course that focuses on several areas of teaching, including classroom management, planning, preparation, and methodology. Students also complete field experience work by observing, assisting, and interning within a classroom. Students have the opportunity to earn up to nine college credits through Pennsylvania Western University. 
   
• Telecommunications Job Training. Offered through Catholic Charities, students in 11th and 12th grades can participate in a program focused on telecommunications job training, soft skills education, and customer service training. Upon successful completion, students earn five in-demand professional certifications: Telecommunication Technologies, Network Cabling Specialist Copper Systems, Network Cabling Specialist Fiber Optic Systems, Wireless Connectivity, and Grounding & Bonding. 
   
• STEM Academy. Through a partnership with Robert Morris University, students can earn college credit through the University’s Pre-Engineering, Computer Science, and Mathematics Departments for classes taken at Keystone Oaks High School.