SLATINGTON, Pa. — Slatington Elementary School has a new makerspace, and officials hope it will help students learn STEAM skills and thrive in the classroom.
It also will be an after-school program called Schools & Homes In Education, or SHINE.
- The new makerspace at Slatington Elementary School will help students learn STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) skills
- It will primarily be used by an after school program called Schools & Homes In Education, or SHINE
- SHINE helps students who are struggling in the classroom with social/emotional learning and STEAM lessons
A makerspace is a collaborative work area that has tools for students to create their own projects and learn new technological skills.
Members of Northern Lehigh School Board toured the new space on Monday and learned about its various learning tools, such as a mouse robot that teaches coding skills and a green screen for making videos.
The members also learned about the primary reason for the makerspace: Its use by the SHINE program.
SHINE is a free program that helps students with behavioral problems, academic troubles, food insecurity or other issues. It uses STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) lessons and social/emotional learning.
Lehigh Carbon Community College has run SHINE since 2005. Twelve elementary schools in Carbon and Schuylkill Counties participate.
Slatington Elementary is the first school in Lehigh County to be host for a SHINE program.
“It's not babysitting, it's not just after school care. It's true instruction and support for the students."LCCC Dean Kelly Trahan
LCCC Dean Kelly Trahan said SHINE doesn’t just give children something to do after school: it helps them succeed in the classroom.
“It's not babysitting, it's not just after school care," Trahan said. "It's true instruction and support for the students."
Principal Todd Breiner said he hopes all students at the school will be able to use the makerspace by the end of the year, but for now, it will only be used for SHINE.
What is SHINE?
The program lasts for three hours after school and includes check-ins with the students, homework help, physical activities, STEAM lessons and dinner.
Assistant Director of SHINE Lindsay Miller said while sometimes similar programs only teach STEM skills and do not include art, she thinks art is a crucial part of the program.
“A lot of students, they express themselves through art, they're able to open up through art," Miller said. "Without art, a lot of the students wouldn’t thrive as much.
“It's extremely important for them to get a well-rounded education, and art is part of that.”
Miller said SHINE is an evidence-based program, with 21 different sources of data — such as teacher surveys, parent surveys and grades — that prove its effectiveness.
“It's great because the kids have their own space as well now for additional learning, but they also have that little family atmosphere and aspect to it as well."Lead teacher of SHINE Justin Fritz
The lead teacher of the program, Justin Fritz, said teachers at the school have noticed academic, social and emotional improvements for children in the SHINE program. He said the new space will help the program thrive.
“It's great because the kids have their own space as well now for additional learning, but they also have that little family atmosphere and aspect to it as well,” Fritz said.
SHINE teacher Michelle Siesko said a big part of the program is teaching children how to fail.
“We teach them, ‘OK, well, this didn't work. What can we try instead?’" Siesko said. "You know, not giving them the answer, but having them problem solve what they can do.
“You'll get a lot of tears, especially with my little guys, at first. But then once they grow and they’re building, they come up with the most amazing ideas.”
