Penn-Trafford student aims to encourage interest in STEM through makerspace

Markers, scissors, cutting boards and desks line what was once an empty corner in Penn Area Library.

Adorned with a decal reading “STEM,” the corner is home to the library’s newest addition — a makerspace created by a Penn-Trafford High School student.

Natalie Goldsworthy of Harrison City is a rising junior who designed the makerspace for her Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouts.

Goldsworthy has been involved with Girl Scouts since she was in first grade. A library patron since childhood, she wanted to direct her Gold Award efforts to it.

“I came here a lot when I was little, and I still came even when I was older,” said Goldsworthy, a Senior Girl Scout. “It’s just a great space for the community, and I know a lot of kids come in here when they’re young.”

The aim of the Gold Award is to create a positive impact with a sustainable component so there is a continued benefit to the community even after the project is complete. The task must be completed individually and require at least 80 hours of work.

Goldsworthy also worked with the library for her Silver Award by hosting an early reading encouragement program. Having focused on literacy in that task, she decided to center her Gold Award around STEM — an acronym for science, technology, engineering and math.

Although she brought several ideas to the library’s board of trustees, the pitch that piqued their interest was the construction of a makerspace — a space equipped with a variety of tools that visitors can use to create and collaborate on projects with one another.

Makerspaces are becoming increasingly popular, according to Goldsworthy.

“I’d seen makerspaces — there was one in my middle school, there’s one in my high school, there’s ones in other libraries — and I thought it would be a good opportunity to provide resources for kids to explore technology and science,” Goldsworthy said.

After a video call with a Carnegie Library employee regarding their makerspace, Goldsworthy set to work planning what elements she wanted to include. Friends of Penn Area Library, a support organization for the library, paid for everything on Goldsworthy’s wish list and will continue to finance the makerspace for years to come.

Elements include adjustable desks that can be raised or lowered according to the user’s height, 3D pens that were previously donated to the library and a Cricut — a computer-controlled cutting machine. There also are puzzles and building blocks available for children too young to use the other tools.

Goldsworthy said the makerspace is “lower tech” than others she has seen, but Youth Activities Coordinator Laura Evans said the library hopes to expand the space in coming years.

“We are hoping to build upon Natalie’s hard work and expand what we have available,” said Evans, of Penn Township.

So far, there have been two projects at the makerspace — a “make your own marble run” and a “create your own habitat.”

Goldsworthy’s mother, Christine, said it was “fascinating” to watch the children think and problem-solve while completing these projects.

“This was just so open-ended that they were able to do what they wanted to do,” Christine said. “It was fascinating as a teacher just to see that process where there’s no time limit.”

In July alone, Evans said there were more than 150 families who visited the makerspace, which opened June 5.

“It was amazing to see how (Natalie) was able to create a design out of a very underused section of the library and truly transform it into a space where families are able to come and visit all the time,” Evans said.

Goldsworthy is interested in studying computer science or computer engineering in college. She hopes the makerspace encourages children to explore STEM fields as they get older.

It’s such a growing field, and it has been for a very long time. They’re constantly looking for people,” Goldsworthy said. “It’s really important to interest kids in it when they’re young so they can continue their interest in a possible career moving forward.”