Posted on Wednesday, June 17, 2026
Students involved with the Westminster Bee Company partnered with the Project WIN Foundation during the spring semester to promote sustainability education through interactive learning activities for local elementary school students.
The Project WIN Foundation is a Canada-based nonprofit organization that teaches students about sustainable choices through a gamified, prize-based learning platform designed to reach children where their enthusiasm lives and create a ripple effect as those habits travel home with them.
“When kids go home and tell their parents what virtual water is or debate what belongs in the recycling bin at dinner, that’s Project WIN working exactly as intended,” said Katrina Patel, founder of the Project WIN Foundation. “The learning doesn’t stop at the classroom door.”
As part of the collaboration, Project WIN challenged Westminster students to design engaging sustainability-focused activities that incorporated friendly competition and prizes to motivate learning.
Nine students enrolled in Westminster College’s Environmental Entrepreneurship course, which manages the Westminster Bee Company, participated in the project. Representing a variety of majors and class years, students worked in small teams to create hands-on activities focused on topics including sustainable food choices, recycling and waste reduction, virtual water and honey bee science.
The activities were implemented during Earth Week at Wilmington Area Elementary School, where 95 fourth-grade students and four teachers rotated through interactive learning stations over two afternoons.
Angelina Nardone ’26, a business administration and finance double major from Ellwood City, Pa., said the experience helped students develop practical entrepreneurial skills.
“The purpose of this activity was to help us develop an entrepreneurial mindset through hands-on project work and learning through trial and error,” said Nardone, who graduated in May. “Our goal was to help the elementary students retain as much information as possible and encourage more sustainable choices at home.”
Other participating students included:
• Jordan Deems, a rising senior environmental studies major from Volant, Pa.
• Sarah Flores, a rising junior psychology major from Youngstown, Ohio
• John Hall, a rising senior environmental studies major from Harwinton, Conn.
• Jaxon Hendershott, a rising senior business administration major from Salem, Ohio
• Valen Henry, a rising sophomore environmental science major from Harrisburg, Pa.
• Hector Moyano Molina, a rising sophomore accounting major from Terrell, Texas
• Emily Shaffer, a rising sophomore environmental science major from New Castle, Pa.
• Kevin Wright, a rising senior marketing and professional sales major from Palm Beach, Fla.
The collaboration with the Project WIN Foundation resulted from Westminster College’s participation in a semester-long pilot of the Work-Based Learning Consortium program offered by the Council of Independent Colleges (CIC).
Westminster's participation in the pilot began after Dr. Helen Boylan, professor of environmental science who led Environmental Entrepreneurship course, applied and was selected by the CIC to represent the College in the program. Through the consortium, Boylan gained access to Riipen, a project-based learning platform that connects college students with organizations for short-term, real-world projects. The connection with the Project WIN Foundation was established through Riipen.
Patel said the collaboration exemplified the foundation’s mission.
“This is exactly the kind of university-community partnership that Project WIN was built to inspire: future environmental leaders designing experiences that reach the next generation,” Patel said. “We’re proud of what this team created and we’re excited to carry those ideas forward.”
The Westminster Bee Company is a student-run enterprise focused on honey bee-related products and environmental education. Students in the Environmental Entrepreneurship course oversee the business, while students in Apiary Management courses maintain the College hives.
For more information about the Westminster Bee Company, please contact Boylan at boylanhm@westminster.edu or 724-946-6293.
