The Student Outlook: Makerspace and Kevin Honeycutt

Given the opportunity to be in attendance at NCCE 2016 (Northwest Council for Computer Education), students of Renton Prep whom were eligible, volunteered to take the chance. The chance to experience, or introduce, technology in education to attendants. Maybe even contribute to the technology with their own input and thoughts on the subject. The audience of the NCCE 2016 event included teachers, researchers, scientists, and many others.

On the first day of the conference, a group of student volunteers, including myself, were looking for any rooms or workshops in need of more assistance. We were then lead to the Tahoma 5 room, which held the Makerspace Summit. The summit consisted of various workshops aimed to help incorporate multiple subjects, such as robotics, art, design, and coding, into student work. Two student volunteers participated at this workshop, reassembling electric toothbrushes to demonstrate the basic mechanics of circuits and the function of motors. With that, we were introduced to Kevin Honeycutt, one of the keynote speakers, and his student-designed objects.

His concept while talking in the Makerspace room was to start now, get both teachers and students to begin the connection of showing what they’ve accomplished with their talents. In addition, to not let any of your skills and talents go to waste without showing it to others. Honeycutt then showed us his steam punk like electric, and acoustic guitar. Then with his permission, we were able to take pictures with the guitar because it just looked so epic.

He explained to us the student-driven aspects of the Godium, and the Godium Stool. The Godium and Godium Stool were challenges created by Mr. Honeycutt for students to participate in. The challenge of the Godium had those students build a box to transport luggage, which could also turn into a podium when needed. The Godium stool was supposed to be a stool that can be easily disassembled and reassembled so it could fit in the Godium. We had thought he designed and built all of the items himself by their appearance and overall effectiveness. But they were actually all modeled by students, with the process of outsourcing their ideas to other companies in order to build their structure. In addition, the students had created a business plan, which gave the students the opportunity to themselves market and gain income from their designs. To many of us, along with me, this trust and freedom of possible choices were somewhat striking. To be achieving all this so young, as well as gaining actual recognition for it too, was one thought that was simply amazing. Below is a interview of Honeycutt within the Makerspace room, where he describes the Godium and the Godium Stool.