At Makerspace Central, K-12 students aren’t just learning, they’re stepping into the shoes of engineers, scientists, and problem-solvers. Founded with a vision to bring real-world, industry-aligned STEAM experiences to young minds, Makerspace Central has quickly grown into a hub for hands-on, project-based learning that inspires curiosity and creativity. We sat down with the team to learn what sets their organization apart, their biggest successes, and how the community can help shape the next generation of innovators.
1. Every organization has its unique identity. What sets your organization or program apart from others working in a similar space?
We call Makerspace Central “graduate school for kids”. All of the hands-on STEAM activities and curriculum that we deliver to K-12 students - we call them “young scientists and engineers” - are developed by STEAM professionals and focus on industry-relevant skills. This ensures that the young engineers we work with receive real-world experiences in informal learning environments.
2. Reflecting on recent achievements, what has been your biggest success as an organization in the past year?
Our team is proud of the work we’ve done in 2025. We launched a new speaker series program called Superstars of STEAM and were able to serve 240 students in 8 sessions. In each session, a local STEAM leader spoke about their experiences to a group of students and their families, and the Makerspace Central team led a design challenge related to the speaker’s topic. Our Superstars this year included Dr. B. from COSI, Rich Granger from Drive Ohio, and Faisa Ali from Nuuma.
This free programming helps to develop and inspire the next generation of engineers, scientists, and innovators. Makerspace Central has undergone a large increase in the scale, scope, and impact of our work.
3. Turning to challenges, what is the most pressing issue your community or clients are currently facing in the coming year?
Our team is aware of the changing funding landscape and is formulating strategies to ensure that the impact and successes we’ve been able to achieve so far, can continue into 2026 and beyond. In order to continue to grow as an organization and build up even more young engineers in the future, Makerspace Central needs to continue to diversify our funding sources and collaborate with partner organizations that believe in the work we do. Our successes are enabled by the reputation we’ve established in providing high-quality access to industry-aligned, culturally-relevant, and hands-on STEAM curriculum.
4. Community involvement is key. How can people who are inspired by your work get involved with your organization?
Makerspace Central is an organization that believes in having both "community tie-in and community buy-in." The work we do is not just for the K-12 students in our region, but for their families and communities-at-large. By providing high-quality STEAM education and experiences to the next generation of problem-solvers, we help everyone understand that STEAM is all around us and enables a critical thinking mindset that can help us solve the biggest issues that we ALL face. People who are interested in what we do can join our team as a volunteer or member of our advisory committee or board. We are also always in need of in-kind donations and financial support.
5. Collaboration is often essential in creating impact. Who are some of your favorite partners or collaborators in the community, and how do you work together?
The partners we have had the opportunity to work with include A Tribe for Jazz, COSI, Ohio State College of Engineering, Besa, and Mid-Ohio Farm on the Hilltop. These partnerships and collaborations see Makerspace Central delivering our hands-on STEAM experiences or pop-up makerspaces delivered at our partners’ facilities or on programming series. Some organizations, like Besa, have provided us with motivated volunteers for workshops, and we have developed programming with partners like A Tribe for Jazz.
6. Becoming part of this network brings you to a new community and potential collaborations. Why did you decide to join Community Shares of Mid Ohio?
One of the team’s goals in joining the Community Shares of Mid Ohio network is to join a cohort of organizations that are each doing groundbreaking work in their respective fields. Being a part of a network full of individuals who are passionate about their missions, while sharing lessons learned and bringing awareness to one another’s organizations, resonated strongly with the team.
7. The heart of Community Shares’ work is to create a more just, caring, and healthy Community for all. How does your organization contribute to this vision?
Makerspace Central’s vision is to see Central Ohio transform into a STEAM ecosystem that spans not just educational and career opportunities for adults, but an ecosystem that recognizes and embraces our K-12 youth as engineers and scientists in training and fully fledged problem-solvers in their own right. Makerspace Central develops critical thinking mindsets through our hands-on, project-based learning approach that strives to cultivate the minds of our K-12 youth.
8. Let’s end with something surprising. What’s an interesting fact or statistic about your organization that most people might not know?
Makerspace Central was founded in 2023, but this concept was truly born in 2014 and has undergone a few directional changes, including a hackerspace model and STEAM kits with accompanying instructional videos. Our founder decided to start the organization after a pivotal conversation he had with a good friend and colleague about the state of youth science education.
Makerspace Central is more than a learning space; it’s a movement to transform Central Ohio into a thriving STEAM ecosystem. By connecting students, families, and community partners, they’re creating a foundation where critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration flourish. Whether through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word, there are countless ways to support this mission. One thing is certain: with Makerspace Central, the engineers and scientists of tomorrow are already hard at work today.
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