When a group of students from Black River visited Herrick District Library, they expected to spend time exploring the endless aisles of books. What they didn’t expect was to discover Groundworks, a community makerspace where creative ideas become reality.
After touring the space, the teacher of the class saw an opportunity. She envisioned the idea of creating a two-week course in which students could step away from the traditional classroom and spend time working with their hands. Instead of staring at screens or worksheets, students would pursue self-directed projects using real tools, real materials, and their own creativity.
The staff at Groundworks was thrilled to make her vision a reality.
While staff members were able to answer questions and point the high schoolers toward helpful resources, it was the students themselves who took full ownership of their projects. They learned by doing.
On the second day of the program, students who were interested received individual certification of two of Groundworks’ most popular pieces of equipment: the 3D printers and the laser engraver. From there, creativity took over.
By the end of the term, every student in the class had successfully brought an idea to life while also gaining confidence with new tools and technologies. Most of all, it introduced them to a local resource that is available throughout the year.
One student put it this way, “I learned that spaces like Groundworks are fundamental to form a community. I learned how to use machines like a laser engraver, and the poster printer, which I thought was cool.”
The Black River teacher who dreamt the idea up couldn’t have been happier with the outcome. From her perspective, the simple act of letting students lead their own projects allowed them to experience the true challenge and joy of hands-on crafting. This directly supports a growth mindset. Walking to the library each day gave her and the class time to move, brainstorm, and connect with their community.
"We got three kids to either get a new library card, or renew an expired card while we were there,” she added. "That always is a bonus."
The wonderful experience that these high school students had with Groundworks can be yours as well. This space, after all, isn’t just for seasoned artists. It’s for anyone with an idea and a willingness to experiment and learn.
At its core, Groundworks exists for this. It is designed to inspire community members like you to chase your creative endeavors. Whether you want to learn a new skill, engage with new technology, or simply create a piece of art, Groundworks can provide you with the equipment and the expertise to get started. All you need is a library card. Pretty good deal, right? Black River certainly thought so.
Drop by when the garage door is open and check out our website to learn more.
