During the 2021-2022 school year, Fred L. Aiken Elementary School’s 5th grade class was part of a cohort of 12 Pittsburgh-area elementary schools that became the first in the nation to create Wisdom Corridors within their school.

A project of the international Project Fuel organization, a Wisdom Corridor is a creative display of interesting and inspirational live lessons from the people that students interact with every day. At Aiken Elementary, last year’s 5th grade class interviewed teachers and staff members and then painted their phrases of wisdom on ceiling tiles, which are now on display outside of the school’s 5th grade classrooms.

“Not only is this a beautiful legacy gift for students to leave, but it was also a unique learning experience as they realized that teachers and staff members have advice to share based on their personal experiences,” said 5th grade teacher Bill Opperman, who leads the Wisdom Corridor project.

Project Fuel founder Deepak Ramola recently visited Aiken Elementary School, taking in the Wisdom Corridor and leading team building activities with this year’s 5th grade students as they begin their Wisdom Corridor project. He also visited Keystone Oaks Middle School, working with the 6th grade class, including the Aiken students who were part of the initial project.
“We are grateful to the Grable Foundation and Avonworth School District for bringing this project to Pittsburgh and for the opportunity for our students to learn from Mr. Ramola and from their peers in other schools," said Mr. Dave Thomas, Principal at Aiken Elementary School. "As the project grows, it is going to be awesome to see the wisdom that is collected and shared from our little corner of the world here at Aiken Elementary School.”