How does a peanut become peanut butter?
At the STEM Academy at Booker T. Washington Elementary in Suffolk, Virginia, that question is driving a powerful new model for hands-on, community-connected learning.
As Virginia’s only K–5 College Partnership Lab School, the STEM Academy is intentionally designed to connect classroom learning to the industries that shape the local community. In Suffolk, known as the Peanut Capital of the World, there is no better story to explore.
In partnership with Birdsong Peanuts, students are engaging in an immersive learning experience that brings the peanut supply chain to life. Developed in collaboration with Birdsong Peanuts CEO George Birdsong and his team, the project allows students to explore every stage of the journey, from farm to finished product.
Through 360-degree virtual reality tours, students step inside Birdsong facilities and experience the full process, including peanut farms, buying points, shelling, sorting, bagging, cold storage, and global distribution.
“This project brings learning to life in a way that is deeply connected to our community,” said Kristen Duprey, Program Manager. “Students are not just learning about systems. They are experiencing them, understanding them, and seeing how they connect to real careers and opportunities right here in Suffolk.”
The experience is designed for third and fourth grade students and extends far beyond virtual exploration. Through makerspace learning and design thinking, students work in cross-grade teams to model the peanut supply chain and build a full systems-based understanding of how products move from raw materials to global markets.
“Our goal is to help students think like problem solvers and designers,” said Rachele Hirsch-Brooks, STEM Specialist. “They are using tools, collaborating across teams, and building models that represent real-world systems. That level of engagement changes how students see learning and how they see themselves.”
By the end of the project, students will collaboratively design and construct a fully integrated model that represents the entire peanut system, from farm to peanut butter, and explain how each component works together.
This signature experience reflects the broader vision of the College Partnership Lab Schools: connecting K–12 education to real workforce systems through meaningful, hands-on learning.
By combining industry partnerships, virtual reality, design thinking, and makerspace tools, the STEM Academy is creating opportunities for students to explore complex systems within their own community.
A special thank you to George Birdsong and the Birdsong Peanuts team for opening their facilities and helping bring this experience to life.
Because sometimes, the most powerful learning begins with a simple question.
