WOODSTOCK — Woodstock Academy will host its first Mini Maker Expo with local ‘Makers’ from the surrounding community. The Maker Movement, a global community of do-it-yourselfers, inventors, engineers, designers, and more, is gaining momentum within schools as faculty and administrators consider the benefits of “making” within the classroom. The project-based learning style allows students to create material objects, explore and discover new passions using their knowledge and skills.

The Mini Maker Expo will be held from 9:15 a.m. to 2 p.m. March 18 in the Alumni Field House. All local ‘Makers’ are invited to participate and share their inspiration with Academy students. There are three levels of participation available: Meet the Maker - providing opportunities for students to engage in conversation about inspiration, innovating and making. Makers bring examples to initiate and promote conversation; Work with the Maker - facilitating a collaborative workspace for students to interact with the Maker and related materials. Makers bring materials for students to have hands on interaction with; Collaborate & Make - providing materials for, and facilitating an opportunity for students to immerse themselves in the process of making to take something away. Makers bring materials for students to have something to take-away at the end of the expo.

“One of our responsibilities as educators in the 21st century is to assist students to make the shift from consumers to producers,” Expo Coordinator, Victoria Despres, said. “We need to provide our students with opportunities to learn not only why this shift is important, but how they can do it.

 By exposing our students to the passions of others, they in turn, will begin to identify their passions.”

“The Academy is committed to providing our students with opportunities that encourage innovation and inspire them to express their creativity,” Headmaster Chris Sandford said. “We are looking forward to partnering with our local businesses to host our first Mini Maker Expo so our students can learn more about the movement and the opportunities that await them.”

Makers may register for the event online by visiting  www.woodstockacademy.org/makerexpo. This event is free for all participants. For more information please contact Victoria Despres at  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

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