It’s quite fitting that by early September, STEMPact and PHYSICS will open their new home in Downtown Moorefield as neighbors of the Hardy County Library. In their own ways, each plays a role in inspiring the youth of the area to learn as much as they can to prepare for brighter futures.
PHYSICS in this context stands for “Potomac Highlands Youth STREAM Initiative and Community Support.” The “STREAM” in the acronym stands for “Science, Technology, Robotics, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.” STEMPact is a local nonprofit organization that has built off of the success of robotics teams in local schools to expand opportunities to alternative education students in Hardy County and also students of other county school systems that lack robotics teams.
Right now, the large space remains under construction but Alicien Adkins, Bonnie Crites, and Jacob Kirk were on hand to share what will soon come to fruition.
Part of the space will serve a for-profit purpose. Kirk shared that the storefront will have a retail outlet with STEM and education-focused toys, “Maker kits” to help enthusiasts build their own robots or rockets, books, and more.
In the middle of the facility, plans have come together to provide a “community space” for “makers.” Adkins stated that those who join as members will have access to the space for personal projects. Also, the space will host different classes in technology and its applications. Those using it can use “unique maker tools” including 3D printing equipment, routers, hardware style tools, and more.
“All students who come through will get access to use as needed,” said Adkins.
“We have a really big ‘maker’ community” noted Adkins, who added that those involved ranged from craftspeople and artists to “do it yourself” home improvement enthusiasts.
According to the American Library Association, the “Maker Movement” places emphasis on teaching individuals to live better by “making” for themselves, becoming “makers instead of consumers.” The ALA goes on to explain that “makers take advantage of technology and traditional craft tools, improved communication between community members, and new pathways to the marketplace.”
The soon-to-be opened facility in Moorefield will serve as a “makerspace” to encourage and promote that culture.
That makerspace will also host classes in various uses and best practices with artificial intelligence and got a huge boost from a recent grant award. The West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation, and Amazon Web Services awarded grants to a technology company in Huntington, Marshall University, West Virginia University School of Medicine …
“And then us!” said Adkins. She added “that really validates that they believe in our vision.”
The award works “to aid initiatives focused on leveraging artificial intelligence and emerging technologies to enhance education, healthcare, and economic development in the Mountain State.” Grant funds will help to develop the classroom space. Along with many other offerings, one class in artificial intelligence will take place in fall, three more next spring.
“I want to make it abundantly clear,” explained Adkins, “this is not connected to AI advocacy or political activity.” She went on to add that “we need our community to be informed and prepared for artificial intelligence” and also noted that AI has entered in some fashion most people’s lives without even knowing it.
“We need our community to be informed,” Adkins stated, so that entities cannot come in and “steamroll” communities that lack knowledge of both the benefits and also the drawbacks of any AI-related projects. Hardy County is “very community minded. We know what we need.”
Discussions have opened with Eastern West Virginia Community and Technical College, which is also offering an AI class this coming year.
Young people can take advantage of copyrighted intense and hands-on four-week science classes that feature “a lot of labs, a lot of projects.” The facility will offer these opportunities “throughout the year.”
About half of the space in the facility will be used in the back of the building for youth robotics teams and programming. It will serve as a home base and practice area for Hardy County Schools robotics teams, as well as those operated for homeschoolers and students from other counties. The space will also get used for collaborative projects and engagement with out-of-state teams.
Opening day is set for September 5, starting at 11 a.m. They will offer food, giveaways, a raffle, and more fun all day long.
For those who have not yet gotten familiar with STEMPact, Adkins says that locals no longer need to drive to Morgantown, Winchester, or the DC area to have a “fun and complete STEM experience.” PHYSICS and STEMPact will bring to the area “a lot of up to date science classes and workshops that kids can take part in” and enjoy “a high quality and safe environment.”
