Carnegie Elementary debuts Matt's Makerspace tinker lab

Butterflies are the favorite insect of Carnegie Elementary second grader Sydney Sullivan.

So when it came time for a class project to research flowers and insects, Sydney, 7, used pink and purple paper to create her own craft butterfly.

Sydney — and the rest of the school’s students — showcased their work from the school’s “Matt’s Makerspace” lab during a grand opening May 15.

The makerspace is a classroom where students create things to supplement what they’re learning about in the class. Makerspaces give people the opportunity for hands-on learning and to create new things, said Matt’s Makerspace founder Noelle Conover.

“It’s a place where anybody can go to learn, to create, to tinker — hands-on,” Conover said. “It’s a place where it’s OK to make mistakes and learn from them.”

About 50 Matt’s Makerspaces exist throughout the region, Conover said. The nonprofit’s name is a tribute to her late son, Matt, who died of non-Hodgkins lymphoma at the age of 12. He was known for tinkering and creating different things, Conover said.

Carnegie was awarded a $25,000 grant to open the makerspace.

Items in the room include a T-shirt press, a 3D printer and a sewing machine — something that has been surprisingly popular among students, Conover said.

Makerspaces are multisensory and appeal to all different types of learners, Conover said.

Second grader Jesse Nguyen, 8, made a craft bee out of paper and tinfoil. He also added a paper flower, “because bees can get nectar from it,” he said.

Making the bee’s feet was challenging, Jesse said, but he kept trying different things until eventually getting the insect to stand up.

Trying new things to find a solution is another way makerspaces teach students, Principal Jenna Mozzocio said.

“It engages a learner in a myriad of ways,” Mozzocio said. “It’s opened up a new horizon for educational potential.”

Other projects displayed included a replica of Carnegie’s East Main Street, information about the planet Mars and recyclable birdhouses.

Makerspaces can encompass all subjects, from STEM, to art and history, Mozzocio said.

“(Students) think it’s fun and exciting and creative, but they’re actually learning so many skills that they’ll need for the rest of their life,” Mozzocio said.