Solomon Schechter Day School, located in West Hartford, recently launched the new Makerspace.

Students building rockets. Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Submitted

Solomon Schechter Day School of Greater Hartford is thrilled to announce the dedication of the new Scott Shoham Makerspace/Design Studio.

Students will draw upon their creativity and ingenuity to complete design challenges in Makerspace class and to implement interdisciplinary projects. Thanks to a generous donation from the Shoham family in memory of their husband and father, Scott, Schechter students will use this phenomenal space for learning, innovation, and exploration.

Makerspace teacher Laurie Stanfield has been looking forward to this moment; throughout the school year, she has been helping students develop the skills and sense of inquiry that will enable them to thrive in the new Makerspace. “I am most excited about watching the pure joy of the students as they make and create.”

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

The Makerspace curriculum will include age-appropriate design challenges like building Rube Goldberg machines, then noting the transformations of energy along the way and designing towers with KEVA blocks (a very generous donation from the Leshem family). Students will also be practicing their coding skills, starting by guiding the tiny Ozobots at varying speeds and different color patterns through a series of mazes. There are stations for robotics, textiles, cardboard engineering, and video production.

In future years, the school will add additional equipment including laser cutters, tools for light carpentry, new 3D printers, and much more.

The Makerspace will also be a great way for students to demonstrate the knowledge they gain in other classes, like constructing displays that represent the time period they are studying in Social Studies, designing their own costumes to wear for the festive Jewish holiday of Purim, or cultivating native plants in the greenhouse.

The students’ enthusiasm is contagious. During the dedication festivities, Paige (grade 5) declared in amazement, “I can’t believe this is real!”  In one popular opening activity, students created their own noisemakers for the Purim holiday.

Happy Ivri programs ozobot. Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

When examining the many stations set up around the room, a comment from Ivri (grade 3) said it all: “We really get to play with all this?!!”

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Courtesy of Solomon Schechter Day School

Take a tour to experience how Schechter’s engaging classrooms nourish children’s curiosity. Now enrolling students ages 2 through eighth grade for 2024-2025. Schechter inspires students to love learning, celebrate Jewish life, connect to each other, and build a vibrant future for themselves and their community in a joyful, challenging, and creative environment. Contact Karen at [email protected] and visit the school website at www.ssds-hartford.org. Many thanks to GN Construction for their meticulous work transforming the existing space into the Shohams’ vision.

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