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.