Bixby Public Schools

This year, BPS introduced a dynamic new space for students to make their ideas come to life𑁋the BACC (Bixby Applied Creativity Center), also known as the Innovation Hub! Located on the northeast side of the new high school building, students have access to everything from high tech computers to laser cutters, to a sound room. The BACC is run by BPS STEAM Programming Coordinator, Mr. Traeton Dansby!

The BACC is open from 4-6 PM for 9th-12th grade students to work on individual projects. High school students also have the option to take courses which happen in the BACC, such as Aviation and Drones. During the day, Elementary and Intermediate classes visit the space to learn about all things robotics and programming. Recently, the BACC had students from Central Intermediate do a lesson on 3D renderings, taught by Mr. Dansby.

Meet Mr. Dansby

Mr. Dansby has been a part of the world of programming since 5th grade, where he taught himself the skill. He stuck with this interest through college and then began teaching. His interest specifically in robotics began after a teacher friend of his encouraged him to explore robotics, knowing that he was a programmer. He began as an assistant robotics teacher, and “fell in love with it.” He then started getting more involved in the robotics world before taking a job as Bixby Middle School’s STEM and Robotics teacher in 2022, which was the first year that students had the opportunity to participate in STEM and robotics competitively. The program has grown significantly since his first year here and students have been very successful at competitions. Earlier this year, Mr. Dansby was the youngest to ever be inducted into the VEX Robotics International STEM Hall of Fame, which he says, “is attributed a lot to the success that we’ve had as a district.”

The vision for the BACC is described by Mr. Dansby as a place where “high school kids can come in and if they have a passion project, they can have access to tools and resources to be able to do those things.” The BACC is equipped with Apple Mac computers which have the ability to run programming software, as well as enhanced gaming computers which have the ability to run software such as CAD, which “a normal computer just wouldn’t have the computing power to do,” Mr. Dansby says. These computers are just a couple examples of the tools available for students in the space. The BACC is described by Mr. Dansby as “one of its kind,” because it “is engineered to be something that is widely available,” and gives students the ability to “do neat things that they want to do that they’re just personally interested in.” Mr. Dansby also hopes that as the program grows, it can be tailored to student interest so that there are more tools available for the projects that students are most interested in.

Mr. Dansby believes that programming has the ability to “unlock your brain to think in a different way,” which “just opens your mind to… new possibilities.” He hopes to instill in his students the mindset that “if [failure] is something you’re no longer scared of, then you’re just limited to your own imagination.”

BACC’s Quote to Live by: Try Again. Fail Again. Fail Better. -Samuel Beckett