Innovation Lab

Community Engagement

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Programming Partners

Working together locally and nationally

The Bryan Innovation Lab regularly works with local partners to provide unique programming for Steward students and the community. The "BIL" serves not only as an innovation center for students on the Steward campus, but also as a resource for others, both locally and nationally, who are interested in innovative topics.

The Bryan Innovation Lab extends its welcome mat to the greater Richmond community for events and collaboration throughout the year. It is our goal to include friends old and new who are interested in the topics at hand. Please contact Megan Young for more information about events at the Bryan Lab.

Engagement in Innovation

The Bryan Lab aims to be a connector for innovative ideas between The Steward School and the Richmond community. A few examples of our partners and programs include:

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3North

3North is a multi-disciplinary design firm specializing in architecture, interior design, and landscape architecture. The firm was responsible for the design of the Bryan Innovation Lab building. In addition to their design work, they participated in a Steward community event, Happy Hour in the Garden, where they showcased the impact of thoughtful, integrated design on educational spaces.
Adventure Walkers

Adventure Walkers collaborates with our Nature Play School to provide guest educator sessions, emphasizing outdoor play and exploration for young children. Their programs aim to foster a deep connection with nature, encouraging kids to engage with the environment while building confidence and physical skills.
Bluebird Society of Virginia

The Steward campus has a certified bluebird trail with ten bluebird boxes in our habitats. For several years, the Bryan Lab has collected data for submission to the Bluebird Society of Virginia, and the School continues to host a live webcam during nesting season.
City Bees

Led by educator Hollee Freeman, City Bees has provided multiple guest education sessions throughout our Lower School. These sessions focus on urban beekeeping and the importance of pollinators in the ecosystem, offering hands-on learning opportunities for students to engage with sustainable urban agriculture.
Crochet Coral Reef

The Steward School Satellite Reef is part of the larger international network of a citizen science project that is increasing awareness about the importance of coral reefs around the world. The Institute for Figuring and the Crochet Coral Reef project is led by Dr. Margaret Wertheim, who served as a Visiting Innovator in 2016. This hands-on project and exhibit has been created by faculty, staff, students, parents, and RVA community members. This project supports the intersection of nature, technology, art, and math.
Culture Encounters

Culture Encounters is a dynamic nonprofit organization that uses the arts, shared experiences, and dialogue to connect people across cultural boundaries. Founder and Executive Director Amma Gatty and her partners have delivered multiple professional development opportunities for our faculty and staff designed to foster cultural curiosity and appreciation.
Eco Inspired

Eco Inspired provides sustainable, zero-waste cleaning products for our campus. This partnership aligns with our commitment to environmental stewardship, showcasing how sustainable practices can be integrated into everyday life while promoting eco-friendly habits within our school community.
James River Association

Through a partnership with the James River Association, the seventh-grade students spend part of Middle School Community Week at the VCU Rice Rivers Center, exploring and learning about the James River and its importance in Central Virginia.
mOb studiO

The mOb studiO is an interdisciplinary design lab at VCU that brings together students from fashion, graphic, and interior design departments. The studio emphasizes community-engaged design and works on public-facing projects, such as redesigning spaces to improve quality of life. Various student groups participated in design thinking activities with students from mOb studios as they envisioned a playscape for the Bryan Innovation Lab gardens.
Monarch Waystation

The Shyla Ipsen Memorial Gardens feature a nationally-certified Monarch Waystation on our campus grounds. Students work with horticulture experts to plant native perennials that help support the life cycle of monarch butterflies and other pollinators. Visitors have the opportunity to learn how sustainable horticulture practices can help create vibrant and healthy ecosystems for all.
National Wildlife Federation

The habitat and gardens surrounding the Bryan Lab are designated as a Certified Wildlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation. Our educators believe education about how to support a healthy ecosystem and diversity among wildlife helps foster stewardship in our students and their engagement with the world.
Natural Organic Process Enterprises (NOPE)

NOPE serves as our industrial composting provider, helping us reduce waste and promote sustainable practices within our school community. Their services contribute to our commitment to environmental stewardship by ensuring that organic waste is processed and reused responsibly.
Science Museum of Virginia

The Science Museum of Virginia continues to be a resource for dynamic programming that is supported in the Bryan Lab. Access to local experts and national research helps fuel student experiences and professional development for faculty and staff. The Kardboard Kingdom, which was an exhibit hosted by Steward at the museum's RVA Makerfest in 2016, is one example of how Steward has partnered with SMV to help bring innovation to the RVA community.
St. Joseph’s Villa

As special guests at Steward’s Dinner in the Garden event, St. Joseph’s Villa collaborated with the school to highlight their community efforts. The partnership fosters engagement through service projects aimed at improving the lives of vulnerable populations in the Richmond area.
Startup Virginia

Through our collaboration with Startup Virginia, students have access to an online entrepreneurship course that helps them develop the skills necessary to start and grow businesses. This program fosters innovation and critical thinking, providing real-world applications of entrepreneurial concepts.
Storefront for Community Design

A long-time partner of mOb studiO, the Storefront for Community Design provides a collaborative platform where students work on urban design projects aimed at revitalizing Richmond neighborhoods. Students sponsored and ran an activity table for small children at their annual Design RVA event.
TimberNook

In collaboration with TimberNook, we organized a networking event focused on the importance of outdoor play in child development. TimberNook’s approach integrates nature with sensory experiences, encouraging children to explore their surroundings through creative and free play.
Trail Kids

We partnered with Trail Kids for their inaugural event, where they worked alongside our students to promote outdoor exploration and environmental stewardship. Their mission aligns with our goals to encourage young people to be active and develop a lifelong appreciation for the natural world.
Trout in the Classroom

As part of our sixth-grade science curriculum, Trout in the Classroom gives students the opportunity to raise trout from eggs to release, learning about freshwater ecosystems and the importance of environmental conservation. This hands-on activity helps students understand the delicate balance of aquatic life.
Wildrock

Wildrock has been a key partner in providing outdoor, nature-based learning experiences for our students. Carolyn Schuyler, a previous Visiting Innovator, facilitated numerous workshops and field trips, guiding students through nature immersion and eco-therapy activities.

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Quick Links

We invite community partners in the Greater Richmond metro area to work with us on initiatives that serve our community and environment.

Awards and Recognition

The Steward School is fortunate to have an award-winning facility and innovative educational resource on campus. Our success is built on many years of expert advice and engagement to help design, build, and support innovative education in our Richmond, Virginia community. Organizations that are striving to innovate their programming or facilities are invited to contact us to learn more about the Bryan Innovation Lab.

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Virginia Secretary of Agriculture — Gracie Goodpasture
Department of Education, Green Ribbon School Award
National Science Teachers Association, Angela Award — Gracie Goodpasture
American Institute of Architecture, 3North's Design of the Bryan Innovation Lab, Richmond Honor Award
Governor's Environmental Excellence Award, Bronze Medal
Partners in the Arts, University of Richmond Grant Award for Math, Science, Physics, and Art
Crystal Award, VCU Energy and Sustainability Conference
2013-2014 Virginia Naturally Recognized School
2013 VAIS, Virginia Association of Green Schools, Go Green VA Challenge, First Place
Tricycle Gardens, Golden Trowel Award, Certificate of Recognition