Delaney Whittet
Staff Writer
Pacific Elementary principal Kim Linz represented Manhattan Beach’s elementary school’s lunchtime program,Makerspace, at the Manhattan Beach Unified School District Board of Trustees meeting in order to update the board about the program’s success at Manhattan Beach’s five elementary schools. According to superintendent Dr. Mike Matthew, there are no plans for any kind of approval from the Board
Makerspace is a lunchtime program where elementary students are given a project and then create a plan and build a prototype. Through Makerspace, students at MBUSD elementary schools have participated in projects such as, coding, making jewelry, and creating vehicles.
“Through the help of Makerspace, we have seen students willing to persevere when solving a problem and try different solutions,” Linz said. “These are key skills necessary for innovation, invention, and life in general.”
Makerspace first launched in Manhattan Beach during Feb. 2014 at Pacific by Pacific Parents, and Linz. After established at Pacific, Robinson started their own Makerspace program in Dec. 2014, Meadows and Grandview in Jan. 2015, and Pennekamp will start their program this month.
“This is a program for all students, even for the students who are not as successful in the traditional classroom,” Pacific Makerspace coordinator Cathy Hobart said.
Before starting Makerspace at Pacific, Hobart, visited private and secondary schools that already had the program to learn more about it. Makerspace is not approved by MBUSD yet but they have set it in, so for now program is parent run.
“Makerspace is giving students additional opportunities to be creative,” superintendent Dr. Michael Matthews said.
Pacific received a $2000 budget from the Parent Teacher Association to launch the program at the school. Along with the $2000 from the PTA, Makerspace at Pacific also received grants from Manhattan Beach Rotary and Chevron at its start. MBUSD initially applied for these grants from Chevron to help develop Makerspace at all the elementary schools and buy supplies.
“For students, I think it’s a great opportunity to be a part on an activity that is more hands on than the standard academic classes,” MBUSD Board president Bill Fournell said. “The grants have made this possible for the elementary schools.”
Elementary Science Specialists are working with University of California Los Angeles to create a pilot unit where various aspects from Makerspace will be added to school’s science curriculum.
According to Hobart, the program’s goal is to eventually have the program run by teachers and create a Makerspace section in Manhattan Beach’s new library to open up the program to the entire community.
“Our kids like having the freedom to create,” Hobart said. “We want them to grow up knowing that they can solve problems, fix, and make things.”
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