Hosting Organization(s): Hunterdon County Library
Learners Impacted: 616
The Hunterdon County Library hosted New Jersey Makers Day (NJMD) as both an in-person and take and make event. A total of 616 participants chose from 22 project areas! NJMD returned as an in-person event at the North County Branch library March 26th. Registered participants received a bag of materials at the entrance containing materials for five projects. Project materials were free to participants, made possible by the NJ STEM Pathways grant and Friends of the Hunterdon County Library funding. Most of the eggs survived the Crash Test Egg Car project! Their makers designed a popsicle stick car then tried it out on two different runways to see if their plastic egg could stay in its seat. Roll Bars and bumpers were helpful! Next, they built a Ball Launcher where they learned how to wire a battery to a motor that propelled a ball. Participants made an LED bracelet and were in awe when their LED lit up! Then it was time to make a Kalimba finger piano and learn how they could change the sound by changing the length of the tines. Shaping paper into amazing shapes with Origami was also very popular. Additional projects by exhibitors included, sewing a pillow, weaving a basket, making a thaumatrope animation, and building with LEGOs. In addition, over 700 kits of STEAM Take & Make projects went to 400+ participants including children, teens and adults. Projects available included zipline racers, bristle bots, string art, Mobius crochet cuffs and beautiful paper peacocks! Instructional videos by their librarians were provided on the HCL YouTube channel as well as in writing with the project kits.