New TMC Lab takes learning on the road

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SANDPOINT — For some, 13 seems an unlucky number.

However, 13 is the number of the new science, technology, engineering and math trailer that is being hosted by the East Bonner County Library District — and that makes the community very lucky indeed.

The new Think, Make, Create Labs trailer is a mobile makerspace, a lab where the community's youth can explore, create and tinker to their hearts' content. Library officials said the goal is to take the trailer around Bonner County and allow kids everywhere in the district to dive into dozens of STEM activities and just have fun.

"We see this as being an amazing way of, especially in elementary and younger ages, of getting STEM to students because we know that doesn't happen as much in the schools as we'd like to see," Sharon Cates, STEM coordinator for the Idaho Department of Education, said. "And the more that we can expose students to the idea of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and STEM in general — building, making, tinkering and engineering those ideas, give kids that picture that I can be a scientist, I can be an engineer, the better."

In fact, Cates said, she prefers to tell students they are going to "just go make" because that really is what is at the heart of STEM activities.

"I like to say we're just gonna go do some science and we're just gonna go make because it's not like you need to have some piece of paper to be a maker, tinkerer or an engineer," she told the crowd at Monday's unveiling of the STEM trailer as it made its debut at the Sandpoint Library. "You just have to get started and you just have to make and then tinker and engineer if you want to actually solve an actual problem."

The trailer is sponsored by the Spokane Teachers Credit Union and made available to the library by the Idaho Out-of-School Network. One of 16 labs in the state, the trailers have been equipped with 80 activities — all of which align with Idaho science standards, said Anna Almerico, network director.

With the trailers, the network and its partners, which include STCU and the East Bonner County Library District, will be able to bring quality STEM activities to youth across the state — especially to underserved and rural communities. The goal, Almerico said, is to reach 8,000 youth a year across the state with the trailers and activities that can be found within each.

"So we're hoping that this TMC lab number 13, in Sandpoint sponsored by STCU and hosted by the library will become an important staple in the community and that all youth will have an opportunity to participate in the activities here," she added.

Being able to partner with the network and STCU on the trailer is excited, EBCL Director Viktor Sjöberg said. It promises to be a great resource for the community, and is one rooted in partnerships.

"The fact that that this STEM trailer will also be the kind of the portal into the new partnerships … and other ways to connect with community around us," Sjöberg said. "We're very fortunate to be able to be a part of this."

And with that, the crowd got to walk through the trailer, packed full of shelves and drawers filled to the brim before heading inside to get their hands on a few of those activities spread across the library's meeting rooms.

At Monday's unveiling, more than a dozen local youth took turns going from station to station, making craft stick snowflakes, paper circuit snowpeople — complete with a nose that lit up — and building a miniature sleigh as part of an attempt to transport cargo down a slope without spilling any of it.