Building Future Designers: Kagan Reardon Brings Architecture and Construction to Life at Clark Elementary

Architects in Schools, often delivered through partnerships between schools and design/construction professionals, connects students with practicing industry experts who use architecture and the built environment to teach concepts ranging from math and science to art and social studies. The program helps students understand how the places where they live, learn and play are intentionally designed while introducing them to careers they may not otherwise encounter.

"As builders, we have an opportunity to help young people understand how the world around them is created," Kagan said. "Architecture and construction touch nearly every part of our daily lives, and I wanted students to see that they can be part of shaping those environments someday."

Kagan's course, Introduction to Architectural Scale and Model Building/Broad History and Overview of Global Architecture, was developed to support Clark Elementary's annual multicultural project. Each fifth-grade student selected a country of personal interest, researched its culture and history, and identified an architecturally significant structure to study and recreate.

The curriculum introduced students to foundational architectural concepts, including scale, proportion, drawing and model making and provided ample opportunity for Kagan to relate to his real-world experience as a construction project manager working on local healthcare projects. Students learned how architects and builders use scaled drawings and models to represent real-world structures and communicate design ideas. They explored how architecture serves different functions, how buildings reflect cultural identity and how design has evolved across civilizations and regions around the world.

Along the way, students practiced critical thinking, measurement, spatial reasoning and hands-on construction techniques. Kagan guided them through the complete design-build process, helping them evaluate structures, interpret dimensions, create scaled drawings and ultimately build physical models of their chosen landmarks.

The lessons extended beyond architecture.

Students learned to collaborate, solve problems, present ideas and work through challenges.

During Clark Elementary's Multicultural Night, students presented their research and displayed the scale models they had spent months designing and building. Families, teachers and community members had the opportunity to view the projects and learn about the diverse cultures and architectural traditions represented by the students' work.

For Kagan, seeing the finished models on display was one of the most rewarding parts of the experience.

"The growth was incredible," he said. "Students who started the year not knowing what scale meant were confidently explaining their models, discussing architectural history and sharing what they learned with their families and classmates."

For Kagan, this experience was about more than teaching scale and model building; it was about helping students imagine what is possible. By opening a window into architecture and construction, he gave them new tools to understand the world and new confidence to see themselves in it. That kind of encouragement can leave a lasting impact, inspiring the next generation to dream bigger and build boldly.