Make this space your space

Everyone wishes for a place to deal with all of their creative energy. Some people like to color, draw, or doodle to release this energy.
New this year at CHS is a place just for this purpose.
Mrs. Gruener, the school librarian, took an empty room with no purpose and turned it into a useful place for students. The room is referred to as a “the markerspace room.” Its purpose is to get students to be more creative and to have a place to chill.
Gruener took the room and dedicated it to helping bring creativity to its peak at Cascade. The room is located behind the circulation desk, to the right of Gruener’s office.
A makerspace is a place where students can go to be creative and collaborate together. The makerspace room has a calming effect on those who choose to willingly participate.
Inside the room, Gruener has set up a massive coloring banner and 3D drawing pens. There is also a place in the room where students are encouraged to work on do-it-yourself projects.
The 3D pens allow drawings to come off the page, letting students create things all sorts of things like stick figures, decorative pieces and keepsakes.
To use the pens, you add filament to the opposite end of the tip and wait for the pen to heat up. When the pen is done heating up, you push the button and begin making creations. Students can also use the 3D pens for class projects or other types of homework where creativity is an option.
There is a learning curve to the 3D drawing pens. It is recommended that you spend a lot of time with the pens trying to figure how much pressure is enough, how to combine shapes and how to draw what you wish to draw.
Gruener says she hopes this makerspace room will bring a larger number of students to the Media Center and the many resources it offers.
Gruener says, “We are in the developmental stage of this project. We plan to continue to add makerspace activities.”
Students seem to really enjoy the room. Seniors Ali Beasley and Alyah Castaneda recommend the room to other students.
Beasley stated, “I enjoyed the room, it calms people down and allows a nice place for people to go and be creative.”
The makerspace is free to anybody who needs a way to express creativity during the school day. If you ever find yourself bored, come on up to the Media Center and take a load off with some constructive creativity.
Castaneda said, “I enjoyed watching other people and the things they created.”