On Friday, we launched part one of our final project of the year: the Lanier STEM Maker Fest (project overview). In May, we will be hosting our first ever Maker Fest at our high school. It’s sure to be an exciting event as our students will be sharing maker projects and showing others how to become makers.
Normally, when we launch a project, we get all of our students in the same grade level together and explain the project to them. By we, I mean our team of teachers. We give them a basic breakdown of the project goals, show them the project web site, and discuss major due dates.
This project is different. We launched the project with our juniors a few weeks ago. Why? They are running the show through a series of committees ranging from marketing to legal to logistics. They needed to time to start planning the event, get logos created (see above), think about what types of activities would be allowed, and other big ideas of throwing an event like this. We decided they would also be in charge of launching the project to our other students.
So, on Friday, we sat in one of our huge open classrooms with our freshmen students as four of the junior class members stood in front of them and launched the project. They shared the big idea, the initial planning, and all that we hope for the event. Over 100 students in audience sat spellbound. We have never had a launch like this. As we broke from the presentation, students started forming groups and brainstorming what they wanted to share, build, make, and teach as part of their maker fest booth. The room was filled with groups of students in tight circles beginning to dream, plan, and brainstorm. It was amazing!
Later in the day, the process was repeated with our sophomores. I wasn’t able to attend, but I heard that launch went even better than the morning’s launch and great ideas were already flowing.
Every day, I cannot believe I blessed I am to work in an environment like this. One that empowers students to find their passions and equips them to do amazing things. It is an incredible environment, and our students love being a part of it.
Want to join us? The Lanier STEM Maker Fest will be held on Saturday, May 16th from 10 am to 2 pm at Lanier High School in Sugar Hill, GA.