Jeffersonville, IN
At River Valley Middle School, the makerspace is more than a classroom. It is a place where students explore, innovate, and discover their potential through hands-on learning experiences that foster creativity, confidence, and connection.
Under the leadership of Maker Manager Stephen Tull, the makerspace program has become one of the most sought-after learning opportunities in the school, giving students the freedom to learn in ways that traditional classrooms often cannot.
Three Spaces, Endless Possibilities
At first glance, the River Valley makerspace may look similar to other makerspaces. However, what makes River Valley truly unique is the scale and structure of its program.
“A River Valley Makerspace room may look just like another makerspace room,” says Tull. “What’s unique for River Valley Middle is that we have three separate stand-alone makerspace rooms: one for Making, one for Innovating, and one for Robotics and Lab work.”
This multi-room approach allows the school to serve more students and offer a wider range of experiences. The popularity of the program continues to grow, leading River Valley to add additional engineering classes at both the sixth and eighth-grade levels.
“This past year we added an extra Engineering class to 8th grade and 6th grade,” Tull explains. “This allowed an extra 60 students to participate in the makerspace program that would otherwise have had to take a different related arts class.”
The demand speaks for itself.
“The Engineering classes at River Valley fill up quickly, and kids rarely request to leave,” he says.
A Place Where Students Want to Be
One of the most remarkable outcomes of the makerspace program is the level of student engagement it creates.
“My students look forward to being in the makerspace and often do not want to leave,” Tull shares.
Students are drawn to the freedom that the space provides. They are encouraged to explore ideas, work collaboratively, and move at their own pace while tackling meaningful projects.
“When we start new projects, students’ smiles, enthusiasm, and discussions are evident,” says Tull. “Many will spend time outside of class researching the project or looking for things at home that they can bring in to enhance the experience for their group.”
The makerspace has become a place where students feel ownership, not only of their projects but of the environment itself.
“One of the things I am most proud of with our students is that they take care of the environment and work to keep things clean and in good working condition. They appreciate the furniture, materials, and machines they have access to each day.”
This culture of respect and responsibility helps create a learning environment where confidence flourishes.
“Having a makerspace room has given River Valley students a safe space where they can explore, create, fail, succeed, discuss, relax, have a snack, and just focus on the tasks before them,” Tull explains. “Freedom is essential in a makerspace room. This allows student engagement to flourish to a level where confidence grows.”
More Than Projects
While River Valley students complete exciting projects involving engineering, robotics, coding, and innovation, the true value of the makerspace extends far beyond the finished products.
For Tull, one experience stands out as a powerful reminder of what a makerspace can mean to a student.
Early in the school year, a sixth-grade student was working on coding activities with Dash robots but seemed withdrawn and uninterested.
“After inquiring and spending some time with him, he told me that his grandmother had just died the day before and he was feeling overwhelmed,” Tull recalls.
Rather than focusing on the lesson, they focused on what the student needed most in that moment.
“Together, in less than 15 minutes, we designed and created a keychain using the Glowforge that said ‘Mamaw’ and attached it to the zipper of his lunchbox.”
The student’s grandmother had always packed his lunch, making the small keepsake a meaningful tribute.
“I saw that keychain every day before his class went to lunch,” says Tull.
For him, this experience captures the true purpose of the makerspace.
“Running a makerspace program allows me the opportunity to foster growth in my students and make life a little better each day.”
Creating More Than Makers
At River Valley Middle School, the makerspace is creating more than projects and prototypes. It is creating confident learners, compassionate problem-solvers, and students who know they have a place to belong.
Through hands-on learning, student choice, and meaningful relationships, Stephen Tull and the River Valley makerspace are demonstrating the power of making to transform education one student at a time.
At 1st Maker Space, we are proud to feature River Valley Middle School as an example of how thoughtful makerspace programs can inspire curiosity, build confidence, and create lasting impact.
