The grand opening of the Hawthorne High School Makerspace was held in the high school Library Media Center on Thursday, October 8. Classes streamed through the space throughout the day, getting their first peak at the new area dedicated for student “making.”

While enjoying the festive atmosphere complete with balloons, music, cookies and beverages, the high school community was introduced to this new trend in libraries. According to Open Education database, “Makerspaces are creative, DIY spaces where people can gather to create, invent, and learn.”

Principal Dan LaGrone attended the grand opening and commented, “The Makerspace represents a platform for our students to have ‘hands on learning experiences’ and it further reinforces our efforts to differentiate each student’s individual learning experience. Students are able to explore fields as various as knitting, computer programming, 3D printing, computer-assisted drafting, and robotics.  The options and potential for our HHS Makerspace is limitless and it will be exciting to watch both the program and our students continue to grow moving forward.”

The funds to create and equip the space were raised through grants and donations.  The Hawthorne Education Foundation, Land’s End apparel company, William Paterson University, and several individual donors all contributed to the success of this innovative space.

The Makerspace is managed by Library Media Specialist Theresa DiGeronimo who spent the last year preparing for this day. After gaining strong support from  Director of Technology Joe Brislin and school principal Dan LaGrone, DiGeronimo visited area high schools with Makerspaces, attended workshops, applied for grants, sought donations, and identified a core group of students who assisted in all organizational decisions.  DiGeronimo is happy with the final outcome, saying, “I’m also excited about the potential for this space to extend into our community; we can invite speakers to come in and present on a diverse range of practical skills. This is just the beginning.”