'MakerFest': Sparking interest in STEAM education

Peter Kobs, The Record-Eagle, Traverse City, Mich.
·2 min read

Apr. 23—TRAVERSE CITY — Hundreds of children and their parents went to Howe Ice Arena at the Civic Center on Saturday to

participate in "MakerFest," an annual celebration of all things STEAM.

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Mathematics. It's a variant of the more common acronym STEM, a technical education term that was coined by the National Science Foundation in 2001.

The free public event featured interactive exhibits by 20 different organizations with the goal of inspiring students to learn more about science and technology through fun, hands-on participation.

Saturday's gathering was sponsored by the Traverse Area District Library and the STEAM/Maker Alliance of Northwest Michigan, in cooperation with the Grand Traverse County Parks and Recreation Department.

Kids participated in a wide range of activities, from drumming and model-building to farming and Star Trek futurism.

For example, representatives from "Pebble Pups," part of the Grand Traverse Area Rock and Mineral Club, taught visitors how to identify different types of minerals by appearance and texture.

"I think fossils are really cool," said Asher Novak, 11, who attends Grand Traverse Academy. "I also like touching the rocks and finding out about them."

Members of the county's Environmental Health Division used a working model of a septic system to show students how water is filtered through soil in a drain field.

Paramedics from the Traverse City Fire Department used a graphic heart monitor to help kids identify the difference between a healthy EKG wave and an unhealthy wave that might indicate a heart attack.

Other organization at the event included: Arts for All Northwest Michigan; BeatLab; Challenge Island Northwest Michigan; Cherryland Ghostbusters; Dennos Museum Center; Dolly Parton Imagination Library; Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore; Grant Traverse Conservation District; Great Lakes Children's Museum; Great Start Collaborative; Inland Seas Education Association; Michigan State University Extension — 4H Programs; Mission Blues; MiSTEM Network; Newton's Road; Oryana Community Co-op; Raptors Robotics from TC Central High School; Joe Simon, rope maker; Traverse Area District Library (Sight & Sound, IT Departments, Teen and Youth Departments); USS Septarian of STARFLEET, the International Fan Association.