Harley Avenue celebrated the completion of their brand-new Makerspace with a special ribbon cutting ceremony on Oct. 23, which was also Global Maker Day. Thanks to the generous donations of the Elwood Education Endowment (EEE) and the Harley PTA, the school’s vision to have an environment where students can learn through hands-on activities and building became a reality. All grade levels, wiggling with excitement, were in attendance for the special ceremony—as well as Dr. Bossert, district administration, Board of Education members, and representatives from both the EEE and the school PTA.

Instructional Technology Specialist Mrs. Krista Albrecht took the stage to help the students understand what the Makerspace was all about.
“The Makerspace is place where you can let your imagination run wild,” Mrs. Albrecht said to the sea of students. “You can explore science, engineering, art and so much more all in one room! Does that sound like something you’d like to do?”
Along with a resounding yes, the children applauded and cheered emphatically.

After a short video showcasing the exciting features of the Makerspace, the Harley Knight appeared to cut the ribbon to the room himself, and the room was officially open for educational exploration.

“Through maker education, the space encourages students’ curiosity, tinkering, and iterative learning,” said Mrs. Albrecht. “Students are inspired to continually question how processes happen, inventions can be improved, and look to take ownership of their learning.”

Within the school’s Makerspace, students will have access to a wide variety of items. From low-tech items like LEGOs and art materials to high-tech tools such as Snap Circuits and Code and Go sets, students will have the opportunity to build knowledge through creating, problem solving, and hands-on experience in a whole new way.