Dallas – On October 23, representatives from LBJIG visited Barbara Bush Middle School for a special surprise. The team was greeted by Dr. Kathryn Schaeffer, grantee recipient for Middle School Matters: Makerspace Program, who led LBJIG to one of the Makerspace Clubs within the school. Students were excited to talk about what they are currently learning in the club and to show off their STEM projects. After talking with the students, the LBJIG team announced that the company would be awarding CFBISD and the program another $40,000 to keep Middle School Matters flourishing.
Since the grant, the Middle School Matters program has been able to spread into all of Carrollton-Farmers Branch Independent School District’s six middle schools. More than $100,000 has been spent on STEM technologies like HP 3D printers, Sphero Robots, Little Bits, sewing materials, etc.
Makerspaces have the potential to touch every middle school student. This program allows students to have a safe place to explore, create, problem solve and be innovative. The district has also started challenging teams of students from each middle school in the Makerspace Instant Challenge. This district-wide challenge allows students to show of the skills they have learned in Makerspace.
LBJIG has contributed more than $120,000 to the foundation since 2016, and the program has impacted more than 5,534 students.