Surrey School Gets $1M Innovation Lab for 700 Students

Students in white lab coats gathered around tables at Lena Shaw Elementary School in Surrey, showing off 3D-printed keychains and iPad-controlled robots they created themselves. The occasion? The grand opening of their brand new Cmolik Innovation Lab on January 27.

The lab represents a $1 million investment from the Cmolik Foundation, bringing MIT-level technology to all 700 students at the school. Inside, kids learn hands-on design training, prototyping, graphic design, and coding with equipment that mirrors professional fabrication labs.

Principal Natalie Roberts says the space goes beyond just fancy gadgets. "The lab was intentionally designed with inclusion and belonging at its focus," she explained at the launch event. Every student gets supported by teachers as they take risks, ask big questions, and learn by doing.

The project took three years to complete, starting in 2023 when philanthropist Russ Cmolik and his foundation committed the funds to Surrey Schools. School board chair Gary Tymoschuk says the timing couldn't be better, as students need these skills for their futures.

Superintendent Mark Pearmain told the crowd that with artificial intelligence and other tech advances changing the world so rapidly, spaces like this matter more than ever. "The future leaders of our province are being developed at Lena Shaw and in this facility," he said.

Dr. Elisa Carlson, the foundation's executive director and former Lena Shaw principal, watched the launch with pride. The partnership between the school and foundation began 17 years ago in 2008, and she's seen it grow into something remarkable.

Surrey Mayor Brenda Locke got hands-on experience with student projects at the event, alongside school board trustees and city councillors who came to celebrate. Students clearly loved showing off what they've already created in just their first weeks using the lab.

The Ripple Effect

The success at Lena Shaw is already spreading. The Cmolik Foundation announced plans to create a second innovation hub at Guildford Park Secondary School, building on lessons learned from this elementary lab. That means even more students will get early exposure to technology that could shape their career paths.

The foundation's $1 million investment over two years has created a model that other schools could follow. When students learn innovation alongside care and belonging, everyone wins.

Young minds in Surrey now have tools to turn their biggest ideas into reality.