Back to School Edition 2025 ! | | | | |
Happy Fall!
It has been a very busy year for Matt's Maker Space. We are excited to be opening our 58th maker space this fall!
In addition, Emily Sanders and our professional outreach program has been busy conducting free teacher training. We are able to customize this training. Do you have training needs?
Let us know!
Look for news about our latest openings and planned spaces for the next year!
We have been getting some great press. Read the latest!
Thanks for joining us here!
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We "reopened" our Outpatient Matt's Maker Space at Western Psychiatric's new Quantum Building. It is a beautiful facility for outpatient behavioral health services. We are thrilled to be a part of this community and loved being a part of the grand opening.
See the video here
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Matt's Maker Space
Professional Development Outreach Program
Our Professional Development Outreach Program has been so busy this year. Funded by a grant from Grable, this division, headed by Emily Sanders, Asst. Superintendent of the Hempfield School District, provides FREE professional development to all of Matt's Maker Space educators and others who are interested in STEAM, design thinking and maker learning. The goal is to help establish foundational skills to new makers as well as offering refresh training opportunities to all adults who utilize maker spaces. We have committed trainers who have vast knowledge in all things maker learning.
Emily and her team of educators provided training this summer at The Education Partnership, Beaver Area High School and at TransformED in the AIU#3. These classes were received very well and provided educators with hands-on training and continuing education credit too!
This year we plan to host various virtual Lunch & Learns to explore digital making tools as well as host both in person and virtual informational session about Play Included’s The Brick-by- Brick lego program and how to get started by partnering with Matt’s Maker Space and CMU’s Center for Transformational Play. Every Matt's Maker Space is provided free Brick Club facilitator training for 2 teachers to get started with your brick clubs.
For more information please contact our PD Director Ms. Emily Sanders at emilycaryn@gmail.com.
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In conjunction with Remake Learning Days, Beaver Area School District held a When You Wonder - Family Event. This was a community celebration of curiosity and creativity with food, hands-on activities, and prizes! This event was sponsored by Matt's Maker Space.
The evening began with a Walk & Talk with Food, then a welcome from Dr. Aiken. The Conover's, Noelle and Anna, presented the Matt's Maker Space story and presented them with a check for their new Matt's Maker Space. The evening concluded after an activity called Making and Wondering.
We are so excited to see what this space will look like. It is the first of its kind to be completely designed and planned by students. It will also be run by the students! We are hoping to visit in the fall to see what they have dreamed!
| | | Spaces Opening This Fall! | | | |
Washington City Mission
Mark your calendars! We are opening a beautiful space at the Washington City Mission on Tuesday, August 26, 2025 at 2 PM. With the support of the EQT Foundation, we are able to bring this innovative space to the Washington City Mission's newest homeless shelter for women and children. This is a 50-bed homeless women’s shelter where vulnerable women can find safety and much-needed resources in their time of greatest need.
The EQT Foundation helps communities prosper through focused giving. Their Education & Workforce
area promotes proficiency in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) topics for youth, as well as training programs to create a future skilled workforce. We are thrilled to work with Ellen Rossi, President, EQT Foundation on this project and so grateful for her support.
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Wilkinsburg school District
Turner and Kelly Elementary Schools
We are so excited to announce our most recent additions to the Matt's Maker Space family! The mission of the Wilkinsburg School District is to promote academic excellence and to enhance physical, intellectual, socio-emotional, and cultural growth in all students. We are partnering with the Children's Museum of Pittsburgh on the design of the spaces.
The grand opening of these spaces will be on Wednesday, October 1 from 5:30 - 8 PM.
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John F. Kennedy Catholic School
In the city of Washington, Pa, right next to the Washington City Mission, is a school called the John F. Kennedy Catholic School. It is an educational ministry of St. James Parish (Immaculate Conception) since 1901, proclaims the values of the Gospel while serving families of the city of Washington and surrounding communities.
Focused on meeting the needs of each student placed in our care, they strive to develop their spiritual, emotional, scholastic, and physical well-being.
This space is currently being designed by our team in conjunction with the STEAM teacher at the school. We are hoping to open the space in the fall. Stay tuned for a date!
Welcome to the Matt's Maker Space family! This is yet another project supported by our friends at the EQT Foundation.
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Beth Center
The mission of the Bethlehem-Center School District is to challenge the academic and social potential of all students through the cooperative efforts of the school community. Beth Center School District is located in Fredericktown, Pennsylvania. This space is another great partnership with the EQT Foundation. We look forward to a later fall opening!
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University of Wisconsin-Madison
Maker Certificate Program
Thanks to a wonderful capacity grant from the EQT Foundation, Matt's Maker Space was able to provide scholarships for three of our Board of Directors for the Maker Educator Leadership Certificate Program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education. Through the Maker Educator Leadership Certificate Program, classroom teachers and informal educators (e.g., museum, library, and after-school educators) engage in making, conversations and job-embedded professional development to ground their maker-based learning experiences in evidence of student learning and engagement. Hear from our board members about their experience.
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Matt Henderson
STEAM Design Teacher
Boyce Middle School
Upper St. Clair School District
Participating in the Maker program from the University of Wisconsin–Madison has been an inspiring and rewarding experience. I enjoyed connecting with fellow educators and makers during our online meetings and breakout sessions, where we exchanged ideas, shared successes, and learned from one another’s approaches. The book associated with the course tied in perfectly with my current STEAM position, offering both practical strategies and creative perspectives that I could directly apply in my classroom. Many of the maker activities we engaged in online reminded me of the hands-on, exploratory projects I do with my students, which made the learning feel both familiar and exciting. Overall, I found the program deeply enjoyable and highly beneficial, both professionally and personally, as it has strengthened my skills and expanded my creativity in STEAM education.
Matt Mikesell
Technology & Engineering Teacher
Mellon Middle School
Mt. Lebanon School District
My experience with the Wisconsin Maker Training program thus far has been nothing but exceptional. The professional training we are receiving is practical and applicable to what I teach in my Matt’s Makerspace. I am looking forward to implementing some of the ideas and collaborating with like professionals from around the nation. We have been off for the summer. However, I am looking forward to getting back into the program this fall.
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Mahjong
Have you heard about this game? Mahjong is a tile-based game, traditionally played by four players, with the objective of forming sets (melds) and a pair to create a winning hand. It originated in 19th century China and has spread globally, with various regional variations.
Mahjong has been traditionally played by adults who learn the skill using tutors. However, there are many benefits to teaching children how to play the game. Potential Benefits include:
- Cognitive Enhancement
- Studies suggest that playing mahjong can improve cognitive abilities, particularly short-term memory, and potentially help relieve depressive symptoms.
- Social Interaction
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The game fosters social connections and provides a platform for interaction among players.
Matt's Maker Space is currently considering bringing training to teachers in our spaces using a program called Mini Mahjer. MMS Board member, Bridget Belardi, is trained to teach this exciting game to fellow teachers. Stay tuned - we will be bringing this program to our spaces soon!
In the meantime, if you are interested in learning more about bringing Mahjong to your students, email Noelle at noelleconover@gmail.com. We will put you on our list to contact when training is ready.
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Wondering how to get a Matt's Maker Space?
We are planning our maker spaces for 2026 and beyond. If you know a school, hospital, community space or library who would like to be considered for a Matt's Maker Space, contact Noelle at noelleconover@gmail.com.
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