The media center is the heart of our school. Every student is welcome, and we want them to feel that every day. Students come in the media center before school, on passes from class, during lunch, and after school for tutoring and clubs. It is the busiest place (besides the lunchroom!) on campus!
Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds.
Some live out near the beach, some are from the suburbs, and some are from the country farms farther out on the fringes of our county. A select few of our students come from very nice home lives, but many of our students come from more difficult backgrounds, with single parents struggling to make ends meet. Many of our students are on free and reduced lunch, and they do not have computers and Internet access at home. They depend on the media center, not just for its resources, but for its friendly and welcoming environment that makes them feel wanted and comfortable.
My Project
By using K'Nex, Legos, LittleBits, and other maker materials, our students will be able to become creators, not just consumers. Today most teenagers know how to consume products by buying them, but they have lost touch with their imaginations and building objects out of their own minds. We will start small, with stations set up around the media center with various materials set up so students can use them at their own pace. If it catches on, we may start a maker club for interested students.
By allowing our students to be creative and collaborate, I hope our students will feel empowered to create more on their own outside of school and maybe even beyond their time here.
We have so many STEM related careers that are not being filled because our students do not have the background or expertise, so ideally, after even doing something so seemingly small like playing with Legos and K'Nex in high school, our students will choose STEM related majors in school and go on to those careers.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Neff and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.