students sitting for STEAM activity

One of the most rewarding things that happens among educators is when their students have a real “light-bulb” moment. 

At House Creek Elementary School in Cove, that moment came in a recent trip to the school’s library.

For one week each month, students in Roseanne Dietze’s library have the chance to work on science, technology, engineering, arts and math, in makerspaces.

“These are activities that allow the students to use their creative and imaginative skills,” Dietze said. “This is often a difficult task for some students, however they amaze themselves with the end results that they create.

”These tasks started off slowly, with some students struggling to start the activity and figure out what they wanted to create.

From there, they moved throughout the library. Each table had a different activity and a different way for students to create things they may not have thought possible when the lesson started.

“I can really use my imagination,” Gavin Mallory said. “I was worried I couldn’t.”

By the end of the lesson, classes leave with a classroom full of one-of-a-kind creations.

“It’s rewarding for the students to be able to utilize their imagination and creativity,” Dietze said.

Dietze also said it’s rewarding for her when she hears students, like Mallory, build confidence in themselves and realize their potential or have pride in their new creation.

“I really did create something all by myself,” Averie O’Laughlin said.