TABC recently built its very own MakerSpace. This space is meant for students to show off their creativity and create any number of things they can call their own.
Although the MakerSpace is a beautiful lab that can be very useful, the school had to make many sacrifices to create it. In that area of the school, there had previously been a senior lounge, student lounge, and The Storm Cafe. These locations were very popular among students, so it was a sacrifice to see them go.
Last year, The Storm Cafe was always popping during breakfast. Although the area was less popular after breakfast was done, there still were always kids walking in and out throughout the day.
The student lounge was a popular spot as well. Year after year, its location kept changing, but that didn't matter to the students. Wherever it was, students would always be there during lunch, Mincha break and any free periods during the day.
The other location TABC got rid of was the senior lounge. The room featured leather couches and chairs, an Xbox, Wii, Nintendo, and, most importantly a TV. This was the one place seniors could call home, but now it’s gone.
Once you walk into the MakerSpace, it immediately feels inviting, as Rabbi Yablok recently observed. The MakerSpace feels like a classroom while still looking like a chill creativity lab.
It gives off classroom vibes because there are desks lined up in the center of the space as well as a Smartboard mounted on the wall. However, it still gives the looks of a chill atmosphere because of its open space, tall ceilings, and gadgets.
Once you walk in, the first thing you'll see is three 3D printers to your left. Even though these printers just went into production, students have already created many things with them, including a ukelele, TABC themed mezuzot and dreidels in honor of Chanukah.
If you continue walking to the left. you'll pass the Smartboard on your left side and the tall desks lined up on your right. Eventually, you’ll reach the tool station located in the left corner. This is where all the tools are stored that are essential for students when they explore their creativity.
Along the left wall are cabinets custom made to fit the space. These cabinets contain even more tools in a seemingly endless number of drawers, as well as bins containing students’ projects. If you continue walking along the wall with the cabinets, you’ll eventually reach the garage door.
According to Mr. Tiefenbrunn, the main reason for the garage door is for easy access to the outdoors. This can either be for shipments coming to the MakerSpace or for projects that need to be used or modified outdoors. He also mentioned that it creates a sense of openness, which is the atmosphere the MakerSpace tries to create.
If you make a right after reaching the garage door, you'll pass a vinyl cutter and then, in the corner, you'll reach the coolest machine in the MakerSpace: a laser cutter. This machine can be used to cut and carve through pieces of wood and metal.
Mr. Tiefenbrunn hopes that the laser cutter will help inspire students’ creativity. He doesn't want students to feel limited because the school doesn't have a certain machine.
He noted the cutter can be used for any number of things, from cutting objects all the way to carving a design in a project. Mr. Tiefenbrunn truly feels that this laser cutter will give students nearly infinite capabilities when creating something of their own.
What is the most expensive machine in the MakerSpace? Although this might be the most popular question Mr. Tiefenbrunn is asked, he doesn’t appreciate hearing it.
“I don't think it's practical or useful to judge machines by how expensive they are,” he said. Mr. Tiefenbrunn wants to change students’ mindset on this issue: “I hope to generate an attitude shift in which students look at our equipment and see creative possibilities, not dollar signs.”
When asked what originally inspired him to create the Makerspace, Rabbi Yablok answered, “We have had an engineering program for a while and it was clear that we needed an appropriate space for the class to be successful.”
Both Rabbi Yablok and Mr. Tiefenbrunn agreed that the MakerSpace was necessary and is a great addition to the school. “The growing role that STEM plays in our education means we need to equip the school with the right space,” Rabbi Yablok said.
Tiefenbrunn concurred with this observation. “I believe that a maker mindset is crucial to success in today's world and that a MakerSpace is a fantastic way to learn this unique blend of innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit,” Tiefenbrunn said.
How will students benefit from the MakerSpace as opposed to a regular lab? Mr. Tiefenbrunn noted that a normal lab is just a workplace, while the MakerSpace will give students more freedom and more opportunities to display their creativity.
Mr. Tiefenbrunn also mentioned that the MakerSpace will help students become more comfortable with “a process in which failure is not only expected but is even necessary as a path to one's goals.” He believes that students won’t necessarily derive this benefit from a regular lab,.
Since this space was built for students, it’s only right to ask them what they think of it. Junior Yaron Gerzberg has had multiple opportunities to make things in the space, including a personal car-charging port and Newton’s Cradle for physics class. He has many more projects planned for the future.
Gerzberg agrees that it was very important for the school to build this MakerSpace. “I think that it's important to have a space devoted to students creativity and inventing,” he said.
Gerzberg added that he’s taken great advantage of this space: “I really appreciate the opportunities TABC has given me to display my creativity at its finest”
Although the MakerSpace is primarily intended to be used by students, Rabbi Yablok already has thoughts about how the faculty might use it as well. He’s already used the 3D printer himself, and he plans on using the vinyl cutter to cut out posters to put on the walls. Keep your eyes out for them.
The MakerSpace has quickly proven to be a great favorite among everyone at TABC. At the end of my interview with Mr. Tiefenbrunn, he couldn't help but express his thanks to the school: “The administration has been endlessly supportive throughout the whole process of planning and constructing the MakerSpace.”
Although the MakerSpace was expensive to build and equip, Rabbi Yablok believes that it’s a worthwhile investment. “It has already allowed us to do things we only imagined in the past,” Rabbi Yablok said.