Students in Chris Kostiha’s makerspace program displayed their talents and products to the Berkshire Schools Board of Education Jan. 13.
Students in Chris Kostiha’s makerspace program displayed their talents and products to the Berkshire Schools Board of Education Jan. 13.
Spread out on the stage floor in front of the school board were a variety of objects students created — a red skull, mugs, plaques and plastic chains, to name a few — all part of the district’s project-based learning curriculum.
Kostiha showed the board a video of the students solving the problem of how to deodorize the Badger’s mascot costume called Bert, who had become rather smelly, the teacher said.
“Ben Joles designed a skeletal structure for Bert and the middle school built an electric ventilation system to air the suit out when it’s on the stand,” Kostiha said, adding Ben also designed the awards for Berkshire Schools Esteem Night.
Middle and elementary school teachers also brought another problem to students’ attention — books and papers stored under the new desks slid off and made a mess.
“It’s a design flaw. The teachers had a little bit of an issue with it and asked me if the makerspace class could fix it,” Kostiha said.
He turned the problem over to his young team and a solution was proposed.
Monday, middle school student Lucas Rolf set one of the desks on the stage upside down on another desk and, with the assistance of fellow student Andrew Skedel, proceeded to demonstrate the installation of a plug in the bottom of the desk that resolved the falling papers problem.
“Lucas is one of my hands-on guys. He really embodies the ability to make something from nothing,” the teacher said.
He showed videos high school student Savannah Brockway made with a digitizing program, including footage of the creation of the Bert-deodorizing project.
“She’s been producing a lot of videos of things going on in PBL (project-based learning),” Kostiha said.
Students in the makerspace program also repurpose items. Kostiha held up a horseshoe decorated in school purple and gold and an old lamp rewired to charge cell phones.
When board Chair John Manfredi asked what the makerspace program needs, Kostiha said the 3D printer is reaching the end of its life.
Lucas asked for a better selection of hand tools and Savannah said the students would appreciate having more options in the makerspace classroom.
Later in the meeting, Superintendent John Stoddard said the modular building for eight early childhood classrooms is close to finished.
“We’ll have a punch-list walk-through Friday and they are scheduled to install the ramp at the end of the week,” he said, adding the concrete leading to the ramp should be poured next week.
“We’re hoping, by the end of next week, to start moving things in and get rolling,” Stoddard said.
The classrooms will accommodate a larger-than-normal enrollment of preschool and kindergarten students, some of whom have special needs. The modular unit is located at the northeast corner of the main school building.
