Principal Angela Ervin, center, cut the ribbon during a dedication for Hawthorne’s new “Creation Station.” She is pictured with teachers Lisa Marks, Megan Win, Chris Poynter and Sarah Ward.
On Tuesday, August 16, Hawthorne Elementary School officially opened its new maker space, dubbed “Creation Station.” Creation Station is a collaborative effort by a group of Hawthorne teachers looking to implement a space for students to explore, build and, most of all, have fun while learning.
Chris Poynter spearheaded the effort. “Providing engaging, authentic ways for our students to learn is what makes us great educators,” he said. “These spaces remove limitations and allow children to identify problems in their world, while also tapping into their personal interests to create innovative solutions for those problems. Students are empowered to not simply be consumers of education, but rather innovators of education.”
The space, which is part of a stage in the building that was not being utilized, has areas for pupils to work and collaborate as well as a variety of materials that allow them to be innovative. Principal Angie Ervin said, “Creation Station has really pushed me to look at learning through a different lens. I am really excited to see what our students learn and create in this space.”