Discover Digital Climbers at MPL Connection Corner

The Digital Climbers program at Muncie Public Library is supported, in part, by funding from the Kiwanis Club of Muncie. Photo provided.The Digital Climbers program at Muncie Public Library is supported, in part, by funding from the Kiwanis Club of Muncie. Photo provided.

By: Rebecca Parker—

Kids and teens ages 8 and up are invited to a Digital Climbers launch party at Muncie Public Library’s Connection Corner this Wednesday, January 27 at 3pm. Kids will find out how they can earn badges and points as they become more skilled in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) activities.

According to Rebecca Parker, Connection Corner Specialist at Muncie Public Library, the program will encourage students to work independently in mastering technology skills and to compete with other students as they earn badges. “We have a floor-to-ceiling mountain in our library branch on which students can see their names and badges as they move up the mountain and progress through their lessons. I love seeing the kids getting competitive about their position on the mountain,” she said. The students will also earn points to redeem for snacks, prizes, and other rewards, such as creating and printing a 3D item free on the Makerbot 3D replicator at Connection Corner, or earning points to play on our new PC gaming computer.

According to Parker, she and Stuart Cotton, Digital Mentor at Connection Corner, created a binder filled with projects and activities that students can work on using the resources at Connection Corner, the high-tech branch of Muncie Public Library. “The projects are self-directed, which means the kids can pick and choose what activities they would like to work on when they are here,” said Parker. “We are certainly here to help them if they have questions or get stuck, but we encourage the students to challenge themselves to complete the project or find the solution.”

The Digital Climbers launch party on Wednesday, January 27 at 3 pm is free and open to all students ages 8 and up. No registration is needed to attend this event. Connection Corner is located at 1824 E. Centennial Avenue.

For more information:

Rebecca Parker, Connection Corner Specialist
Phone: (765) 747-8216
email: rparker@munpl.org