School libraries are no longer simply a holding area for books, they now serve as a learning hub for schools. More often than not, the time it takes to teach curriculum in the classroom leaves little extra time for teachers to plan lessons that fuse their students’ creativity and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM).

In many of Haywood County Schools’ media centers, including North Canton Elementary School, media specialists are working with teachers to create maker stations for students. Maker stations are areas set up in the library that provide hands-on, creative ways to encourage students to design, experiment, build and invent as they engage in STEM-related activities.

“Our maker stations gives students a place to explore STEM-related projects while also being creative,” North Canton Media Specialist Valerie Guyer explained. “The students love the independent activities and using the technology.”

Through the Haywood County Schools Foundation, Guyer applied for and received one grant from Duke Energy and one grant from Evergreen Packaging last fall. She used the money to purchase materials for two maker stations.

One maker station is centered around virtual reality (VR). Using VR headsets, students can ride through the eye of a tornado, explore systems of the human body, and tour Egyptian pyramids. Teachers use the VR station to connect the subjects students are learning about in the classroom with interactive 3D experiences.

“The VR headsets give our students a chance to experience things they would never have access to normally,” Guyer explained. “It’s been a great tool to get students excited about working together, conducting investigations, and learning about subjects that are typically hard to teach.”

The other maker station Guyer received funding for is home to the school’s Dash and Dot Robot duo.

The robots present students with hundreds of projects, challenges, puzzles, and freeform play while making computer science education fun and effective. Students learn to code while they make the robots sing, dance, and navigate the media center.

“Without the Foundation grants from Duke Energy and Evergreen, these maker stations would not be possible for our school,” Guyer said. “These maker stations will give our students even more exposure to STEM, which is so important in education and beyond in today’s world.”

Each fall, the Haywood County Schools Foundation offers teacher and faculty grants from First Citizens Bank, Evergreen Packaging, Duke Energy, HomeTrust Bank, and QuickDraw. Last November, the Haywood County Schools Foundation awarded more than 170 grants to teachers and faculty totaling more than $35,000 for the 2016-17 school year. Grants will open for the 2017-18 school year in the fall.