Ashland's Little Makerspace Scholarships

Ashland's Little Makerspace was founded by Becka Kem, a former public school teacher who holds a MA in Science Education. In her college years she often found herself wandering from the chemistry lab to the pottery studio. In her teaching years, afternoons were spent alternating between grading papers and painting. Motherhood shifted Becka's focus from secondary to early childhood education. She created Ashland's Little Makerspace to expand art and baby sign language education opportunities for children in the Rogue Valley.

Being a stay at mom with a two year old, Becka is always looking for enrichment activities to do with her son. They participate in music, tumbling, story times at the library and frequent the parks. One thing she noticed was lacking in the community was a place to do exploratory art. After talking to other families, they too felt there needed to be a place where they could take their children to experience and explore various media. Art can be a messy and overwhelming experience for parents with infants, toddlers and pre-schoolers. From this need came the idea for the Ashland's Little Makerspace.

Ashland's Little Makerspace is a safe and constructive environment in which children can explore elements of design through multi-sensory, tactile experiences. It offers developmentally appropriate activities and classes that help cultivate a child's need for exploration and expression in fun and creative ways. The process of creating art through manipulation and problem solving is gently guided through modeling and individual exploration. Children are able to create beautiful art, but finding the joy and excitement in the creation is the most beautiful part.

For the youngest learners, Ashland's Little Makerspace offers classes for infant sensory play and baby sign language. Through baby sign language, caregivers and little ones can learn strategies and techniques to help bridge the verbal language barrier. Songs, games, play, and repetition are fun and natural ways to learn how to communicate and connect. Families who use baby sign language notice less frustration and tantrums since babies can express what they want or need.

Through GoFundMe we would like to set up a need-based scholarship and art supply fund so we will be able to reach more families in the community. We are working with the public library to start an outreach program. If we are able to meet our GoFundMe



 goal we will be able to provide scholarships, art supplies and highly qualified instructors for these programs in addition to the programs offered at Ashland's Little Makerspace for six months to one year.