In the spring of 2024, Mat Bevel Company hosted The Universe Within science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) world-building program free for elementary students at the Patagonia Public Library. Unit 1 of The Universe Within—Headgear of Heroes—was offered on Saturdays from 9:00 am to noon to all 3-8th graders in Santa Cruz County.
The program is a launch pad for the next generation of creators, makers, and inventors, equipping youth with the knowledge, skills and confidence to explore and apply art and science principles and fields of study to excel in education, career and life. Students will learn STEAM through a series of personal, game-like, hands-on activities. They capture their ideas through their personal notebook called The Daily Doodle.
For the first time, students had the option to produce short novels about the worlds and characters they created during the program. Five students authored their very own books which are now available at the Patagonia Public Library. Four authors read excerpts from their books during the opening of the Teen Room on Saturday, October 19 at the library.
It was Kayla Miller, former librarian at the Patagonia Public Library who had the idea to have students write their own stories and share them with the public. She said, “We were delighted to share our resources so that students could discover new information, work with their hands, and access our books and computers in a relaxed environment. The Universe Within at the library gave students the space to stretch their imaginations and work on a fun project with other students their age. We achieved our goal of providing kids an independent, autonomous experience that they may not have in other settings.”
Students create a superhero character who solves major social or environmental problems. Working with materials, technology and attachment mechanisms they create functional tools and headdresses that help their characters solve the problems in their worlds. Activities align with Science, Engineering, Math, Theater Arts, Visual Arts and English Language Arts standards.
Mat Bevel Company Multimedia Program Director said, “Having students author their own books helps them capture and further shape all their ideas and inventions. Having the books available at the library is a fantastic way to share their creativity and what they’ve learned about science with the public.”
The program is inspired by Mat Bevel Company Founder Ned Schaper’s world of Beveldom, a framework that has been developed over 35 years. Beveldom is comprised of over 450 poetic tales that deepen understanding of common humanities and cultural themes from Ned’s Surrealistic Pop Science Theater and over 150 mechanical fine art sculptures from his Museum of Kinetic Art, demonstrating how even junk can be transformed into beauty and purpose. This model is highly original and publicly valued: The museum is one of four unique art destinations in Tucson on Atlas Obscura, a definitive guidebook to the world’s most wondrous places.
For more information, contact Mat Bevel Company’s Multimedia Program Director Paula Schaper at pschaper@matbevelcompany.org or 520-604-6273.