{"id":17032,"date":"2024-03-21T08:00:22","date_gmt":"2024-03-21T13:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/?p=17032"},"modified":"2024-03-19T12:15:05","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T17:15:05","slug":"from-summer-camp-to-studio","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.maryville.edu\/mpress\/from-summer-camp-to-studio\/","title":{"rendered":"From Summer Camp to Studio"},"content":{"rendered":"

Maryville\u2019s CA2 program expands into brick-and-mortar space, readying young minds for an open-ended future.<\/em><\/p>\n

Inside a space once known for dozens of retail stores and a robust food court, Maryville is helping St. Louis-area kids gear up for future careers. In September, the University opened its Interactive STEM Studio inside the reimagined Chesterfield Mall, not far from Maryville\u2019s campus. The pop-up space next to The Cheesecake Factory is stuffed with LEGOs, robots, drones and other supplies where kids ages 4 to 16 hone their creativity along with their science, technology, engineering and math skills. <\/p>\n

The project demonstrates the University\u2019s mission to be a force for good in the community, according to Steve Coxon, professor and executive director of Maryville\u2019s Center for Access and Achievement (CA2)<\/a>. \u201cWe\u2019re very excited,\u201d Coxon said. \u201cWe\u2019re able to offer classes that are a really good value with phenomenal teachers and provide a lot of access for kids around Maryville\u2019s campus.\u201d <\/p>\n

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MOVING FAST ON GOOD IDEAS<\/strong><\/p>\n

The STEM Studio\u2019s inaugural session includes more than a dozen evening and Saturday classes, with offerings for home- schoolers during the school day. A combined 200 kids are taking advantage of the studio\u2019s offerings for a fee of $90 for six once-a-week classes. The idea builds on Maryville\u2019s popular summer robotics camps, which enrolled 1,100 kids this past summer. Coxon and Angelina Moehlmann, program director for the CA2 elementary school science and robotics program and the STEM Studio, wanted to serve more children and teens. They also aspired to make use of camp materials \u2014 including literally millions of LEGOs provided by a $250,000 grant from the toymaker \u2014 for longer than just three months a year. Moehlmann located the inexpensive mall space, and they pitched the idea to the administration. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd we got a really, really quick approval,\u201d Coxon said. \u201cMaryville is all about moving fast on good ideas.\u201d Coxon and Moehlmann worked with STEM Studio Associate Director Dustin Nadler, PhD, and Coordinator Gretchen Roberts to make their vision a reality. The process included a bit of dirty work as they cleaned up debris to make the dilapidated space habitable. \u201cIt was very hands-on,\u201d Coxon said. <\/p>\n

Keeping it hands-on is also a key component of the lab\u2019s classes. In age- appropriate groups, young people learn to program robots and drones, create video games and virtual reality experiences, and build skyscrapers and bridges. It\u2019s nothing like school \u2014 no tests, grades or red-pencil corrections, according to Moehlmann. \u201cIt\u2019s loud and busy, student-driven and play-based,\u201d she said. \u201cYou have a buy-in from the kids when learning happens through the actvities they\u2019re doing rather than a teacher just doling out information.\u201d <\/p>\n

Even as they enjoy themselves, students are honing their problem-solving skills and spatial abilities while engaging in high-level processes, including design thinking and prototyping \u2014 all components of the modern workplace. \u201cIn a rapidly changing world, no one can predict what jobs will actually exist by the time these kids enter into their careers,\u201d Moehlmann said. Still, no matter what the future looks like, understanding how to work with others will remain essential. <\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we\u2019re doing gives them not just the hard skills but the soft skills, too \u2014 like collaboration and communication,\u201d she said. Giving kids the chance to maximize communication is particularly important right now, according to Coxon. During the pandemic, many were isolated for as long as two years, losing out on opportunities to interact with others. STEM Studio classes are designed to meet each child where they are, taking into account differences in social skills, prior knowledge, learning styles and brain wiring. All in all, the lab provides high value at no cost to the University. Class fees and money collected from events such as birthday parties are used to pay teachers and meet other expenses. <\/p>\n

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SUCCEEDING \u201cEXCEPTIONALLY\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n

STEM Studio instructor Tarren Fritz enjoyed a decadeslong career as an elementary school teacher. Fritz likes to teach STEM skills in combination with storytelling. When introducing younger kids to drones, she shows the children how to program them to perform simple tasks such as going forward or backward or making a square. Then, using LEGOs, they build a setting for a dramatic storyline. \u201cIt might be that there\u2019s a forest fire and we need to rescue some horses,\u201d Fritz said. \u201cAnd then we\u2019ll talk about the parameters of the fire and the limitations and constraints of the drone.\u201d <\/p>\n

Another of Fritz\u2019s lessons marries classical art with math and engineering. Kids work to recreate a Picasso or Monet using LEGOs to form the shapes, colors and textures of the painting. Fritz loves the open-ended curriculum- planning that\u2019s possible only in a non-school setting. \u201cWe\u2019re not beholden to standards and we don\u2019t have to meet any certain criteria,\u201d Fritz said. \u201cWe based the classes on interest and ideas from the public.\u201d<\/p>\n

Teacher Matt Sinclair, \u201923, enjoys seeing his students work the steps to meet a challenge such as creating a new video game level using Mario Maker design tools. \u201cTheir eyes light up and they might say, \u2018Oh, I can really see myself getting into this and doing this when I\u2019m older,\u2019\u201d Sinclair said. Sinclair enjoys encouraging kids to use their imagination as well as their intellect. In his Dungeons and Dragons class, students learn how to design effective dungeons and create memorable characters such as believable good guys and proper villains.<\/p>\n

As a bonus, Sinclair likes helping kids take an interest in something that can assist them in making and keeping friends. \u201cGaming is a great way to socialize,\u201d Sinclair said. \u201cLike, maybe I don\u2019t have a great excuse to hang out with my new coworker, but I know he plays Call of Duty and that\u2019s something we can talk about.\u201d Sinclair applauds the University for expanding its popular summer program into a year-round endeavor. \u201cI feel like that\u2019s a huge thing with Maryville,\u201d Sinclair said. \u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018Hey, we succeeded \u2014 now how can we succeed exceptionally?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

As Coxon and Moehlmann look to the future, they envision a permanent, stand- alone space for the STEM Studio. They hope to set up a fund for scholarships. Moehlmann hopes to serve kids coming in for school field trips and Scouting excursions while also expanding their slate of regular classes. \u201cJust as we ask kids to tinker and develop their ideas in our classes, that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing with our programming,\u201d Moehlmann said. <\/p>\n

NOTE: This article originally appeared in the Fall\/Winter 2023 issue of Maryville Magazine.<\/font><\/p>\n

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