1st Maker Space hopes to expand into Hamilton Southeastern Schools

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A Fishers-based company wants to introduce more hands-on learning opportunities in Hamilton Southeastern Schools with its products. 

1st Maker Space designs, builds and sustains makerspaces for students. A makerspace is a collaborative workspace for making and learning. 

CIF Business local 0607 1st maker space
One of 1st Maker Space’s products is the Tower Garden, which is an indoor hydroponics unit. (Photo courtesy of Amber Hudson)

“What makes us different from a lot of companies that teachers deal with is a lot of them order something off of Amazon, receive it and let’s say it’s a robot of some kind,” 1st Maker Space Education Director Amber Hudson said. “They have to figure out how to do it themselves. From what we do, we are doing everything from the furniture that goes into the makerspace to the products to the professional development that follows up. That’s the key difference. We form partnerships and relationships with these clients to walk them through how to use a 3D printer, how to use a robot, how to use a laser cutter. A lot of teachers don’t have access to that if they buy it (elsewhere).” 

Hudson, a former HSE teacher, said very few of the company’s makerspaces are in HSE Schools. 

“Which is shocking to me as a former HSE teacher,” she said. “I want everyone to know about what we do.” 

One of 1st Maker Space’s products is the Tower Garden, which is an indoor hydroponics unit to grow vegetables, such as lettuce. 

“We haven’t seen a lot of life sciences within makerspaces. Typically, it’s computer science and advanced manufacturing,” Hudson said. “We wanted to find a way to bring life science into the makerspaces. (Students) can watch plans from seedling through harvest and there are lesson plans and curriculum that can go with it. You can teach everything from photosynthesis to food miles, a cool lesson to show how far food travels before it gets in the grocery store.” 

Hudson said a full 1st Maker Space isn’t in any HSE Schools, although the company has worked with some individual teachers. 

1st Maker Space is located within the Internet of Things Lab in Fishers. 

“We want everyone to be a maker and be open minded to using your hands and imagination to create something,” Hudson said. 

For more, visit 1stmakerspace.com.


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