Media Center is the "Hub" at Eastside

Article by KPC News | April 7, 2021

BUTLER — The newly-remodeled media center at Eastside Junior-Senior High School offers an abundance of opportunities.

Students and staff can work in private or have small group meetings, complete with large-screen monitors that can be linked to a computer.

They can move to a larger, enclosed room as a maker space.

They can kick back and relax at one of the padded seats located throughout the center or sit at tables to study or work on homework.

They can enjoy a cup of coffee or drink at the café, named the “Blazer Bean.”

Some students can help a staff member perform repairs on computer equipment for their classmates.

They can even read a book.

The renovations were originally slated to begin in the summer, but when DeKalb Eastern students went to virtual learning last spring, the construction timetable was moved up, Eastside Principal Larry Yoder explained.

The transformation began in March 2020.

“Once we got quarantined and school got shut down, (construction crews) came in,” Yoder said. “We had the plans ready, but we weren’t going to demo until summer.”

Visitors enter through sliding doors added at the north and south sides of the media center, which expanded into two former classrooms at the north end.

Motion sensors automatically open the doors for people exiting the media center. Because each entrance is on a busy hallway, those wishing to enter simply wave their hand in front of another sensor to open the doors, Yoder explained.

Inside, several collaboration areas — equipped with large-screen monitors — have been created where students and teachers can work on small-group projects.

“Those seem to being utilized more and more for what they were meant to be,” media center coordinator Beth Holman said.

A maker space is a larger, enclosed room where students can do hands-on projects that maybe they wouldn’t be able to do elsewhere, such as small circuitry work, three-dimensional printing or other crafts.

“It’s just where they can do some things hands-on that might be harder in a classroom setting,” Holman said. “They can also come in and work on big projects. Now, they have a space where they can spread out and work on those things.”

The new media center received thumbs-up approval from junior Mataya Bireley and senior Liam Franz.

“I personally love the space,” Bireley said. “It’s big enough that we can all spread out. It’s a nice area to quietly do your work.

“I like to come here when I have free time and just do my homework. Sometimes, it’s better than in the classrooms,” she said. “It’s also nice to come in here and chat with your friends if you don’t have anything else to do.

“The couches are comfy.”

Franz spends a good portion of each day in the media center, where he takes three online classes.

“The students really love the comfort feel, just being able to spread out and having more comfortable seating,” Holman said. “I feel like they’ve appreciated the more mature feel of it.”

What makes the new setting even more appealing is that nearly every component is on wheels to be moved about the room, Yoder said.

While more and more books are available in digital formats, Holman said the media center maintains many traditional books.

“We’ve tried to really keep our collection up,” she said. “A lot of students still like to have that book in their hands.

“It’s deceiving because before, we had the tall bookshelves. Every month, I still get orders of books. The majority still like to come in and check a book out.”

Just inside the south entrance, the Blazer Bean coffee shop is a popular attraction, Yoder said.

The coffee shop is operated by students in Jessica Shull’s careers and business classes.

Ten students currently rotate through the morning shift, Shull explained. They open the café at 7 a.m. and are paid $5 per shift, also earning a free drink and work experience.

“We are gearing up to be open all day,” she said. “I have roughly 25 additional students who are currently in training so they can work during their study hall.

“All students who work in the café have to go through orientation where we discuss employee conduct, benefits, safe-serve guidelines and then hands-on training,” Shull said.

“It has been so encouraging to watch our students take ownership over their responsibilities,” she continued. “They catch on quickly, adapt to change and are extremely dependable.

“We really have the perfect environment for them to start obtaining employability skills, and I couldn’t be happier with how things are going.”

“We talked to them that if they’re not fulfilling their responsibilities, then they can be fired,” Holman added. “We’re trying to run it as much like a business so they can have some job experience.

“When they go out to get their first job, they can use Mrs. Shull and I as references.”

Bireley is currently training to work in the café. “It’s a lot of responsibility, but it’s a good learning experience,” she said.

“I really like it. It’s nice for students to be able to come in early and have a coffee or refreshment,” Franz said. “I think it’s really cool that we’re incorporating that into our school.”

“It’s been very well-received,” Holman said. “So far, all of the feedback I’ve heard from teachers is very good about coffee being out and about. They’re allowed to come in, get a drink and take it to class.”

During their study halls, some students come in to help technology director Tim Dale with a number of tasks, such as screen removal, keypad repairs and troubleshooting computers.

Moving forward, Yoder said an adjacent classroom will be transformed into a career center, separate from guidance, where students can come to do research for jobs and college, fill out job or scholarship applications and more.

The remodeled media center — referred by students as the “Blazer Hub” — opened in January.

“It’s the center of the school, the hub of the wheel,” Yoder said.

Article source: https://www.kpcnews.com/butlerbulletin/article_a5ed0437-f85d-516c-9998-8eca953399a5.html