The Unplugged Learning project began as a conversation between parent, Susan Rietano Davey, and Assistant Principal, Larry Sparks, in front of Roaring Brook School’s empty bicycle rack. Motivated by a shared concern that today’s children spend too much time plugged into technology and buckled into cars, they reached out to like-minded community leaders to try to change this.

On March 5, 2009, after months of meetings, they and their team launched their answer to the problem of over-scheduled, over-structured, plugged-in childhood: the Unplugged Learning project. This team continues to serve as the project’s directors:

Susan Rietano Davey, co-founder of UPLP, is a small business owner, mother of four school-aged children, and a member of the Avon Land Trust Board of Directors.

Chris Gackstatter is Vice President of the Avon Land Trust; father of two daughters, and President/Owner of a toy company.

Carrie Firestone has two young daughters and a background in k-12 curriculum development; she is on the Avon Land Trust Board of Directors.

Roger Kirschen is an Avon grandparent and retired science teacher who brought outdoor learning to his school district in New Jersey.

Laura Young, ALT secretary, has deep roots in Avon and recently returned here to raise her two sons; she is a professional grant writer.

Joe Pereira is a 2nd grade teacher at Roaring Brook School and a member of the school’s Green Team.

Larry Sparks, co-founder of UPLP, is a father of three sons and Assistant Principal of Roaring Brook School where the Unplugged Learning project was born.