The educational space at 420 Main St. was established for cyber-school students such as Cramer, 6.
“When we saw the flyer, he said he wanted to come down,” said Jessica Cramer, his mother, who called the new center “really nice.”
The pair were two of several people who attended the IU8 ribbon-cutting and informational session on Thursday. Parents, students, community members and stakeholders were invited to explore the facility, which was formerly Bulldog Arena, located across the street from Pennsylvania Highlands Community College’s downtown office.
“It’s actually fun,” Zebariah Cramer said while snapping magnets together before tearing them apart again. He was looking forward to exploring all of the center’s offerings.
In addition to the magnetic shapes and other STEM-related displays set up around the space, which occupies more than 10,000 square feet of ground, there were tables laden with informational material about various educational programs, a display from The Esport Company and demonstrations from the First Lego and First Tech Challenge student groups.
“We’re starting out opening up for the cyber kids to come in, but we also want to partner with the school districts,” said Aiko Malynda Maurer, IU8’s director of innovation, incubation and development and the CEO of IU8’s Central Pennsylvania Digital Learning Foundation.
It was Maurer’s idea to base the center in downtown Johnstown. She said she knows how important it is for online-schooled students to have in-person interaction, and as she explored that idea, she wanted to create a safe space and build it in the developing city area.
“My ultimate vision is to have kids become invested in our community so they stay here,” Maurer said.
Thomas Butler, IU8 executive director, shares her view of the future.
“That’s what we’re excited about,” he said, “to be down here and be part of what Johnstown is about downtown.”
Butler also spoke about future possibilities for the space, from expanding enrichment activities to holding educational events.
“I’m looking forward to the community being involved and more events,” said mother Jamie Saylor, who attended the event with her 5-year-old daughter, Lila, adding that they “just came out for the activities and to socialize.”
Annaliese Niebauer, a 17-year-old junior from Central Cambria High School in Ebensburg, was happy to be there as well. She and her teammates on the school’s First Tech Challenge team, the Digital Devils, showed off their skills in the STEM-based club.
“It’s awesome to have this,” she said of the new space.
The learning center is open Wednesdays and Thursdays, but Maurer noted that as participation grows, the location could be open more days per week.
©2022 The Tribune-Democrat (Johnstown, Pa.). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
