About iNEST

The maker club at the Wake Young Women's Leadership Academy (WYWLA) is supported by a grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund's Student Science Enrichment Program, with the support of partners from NC State University's College of Education. WYWLA is a public, single-gender, early college, STEM school, serving grades 6-13 on two separate campuses. The maker club is sited on the school’s Governor Morehead campus (grades 6-10) and meets in classroom space in the high school building.

The club targets three goals: 1) develop students’ problem solving skills associated with computational thinking through interest-driven inquiry; 2) develop students’ leadership skills through personally relevant quests, maker community collaborations, and opportunities to lead making events; and 3) develop students’ understanding and appreciation of STEM college and career paths. To address Goal 1 on problem solving, students in the club transition between three units annually, including circuitry, programmed robotics, and fabrication of 3d objects, with close ties to the state’s math/science curriculum. To address Goal 2 on leadership, students undertake meaningful projects with the potential to impact their larger communities within a makerspace environment that encourages collaboration. Students also help to lead pop-up makerspaces in the school lunch room, a maker table at the school's STEM night, and conference showcases at the NC-TIES state technology conference. To address Goal 3 on STEM understanding and appreciation, students take field trips to STEM-oriented museums, maker faires, and science expos. Also, club meetings include “expert spotlights” illustrating professional applications of making and diverse STEM college and career paths.