The Ozarks Mini Maker Faire- The Ozarks GREATEST SHOW – TELL & MAKE
SPONSORS:
Hosting Sponsor ($10,000+): Ozarks Technical Community College (OTC),
Goldsmith ($5000): Maker Ed 101- Bob’s CNC, MAKE Community;
Silversmith ($2500): Renegade Chemicals;
Coppersmith ($1000): Positronic, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Springfield Public Schools, D3 Technologies ;
Blacksmith ($500): Associated Electric Cooperative Inc, IEEE, Associated Machinist, Paul Muller
Supporting: Brewer Science $300
The Ozarks Mini Maker Faire is many things, but most importantly it brings the cutting edge STEM businesses, industrial hobbyist, Artisans, and PreK - Higher Education area community together to share their love and passion for creativity & innovation on the same platform for the first time. It’s about Dreaming BIG and making something just because they can- whether programming a robot, a fire breathing Ozarks Toad made of bike tires, ways to use a 3D printer or CNC machine, storytelling through music, songs, and dance, business startups checking for ”proof of concept” along with artisans using their creativity to design soap, jewelry, sweet treats, tech clothing, wood/glass/metal projects, or a sundry of other projects/ideas- while sharing their expertise in TRUE Maker fashion. It’s just amazing how eclectic the Ozarks Mini Maker Faire is and every year there are different projects being showcased. It is a fair for our generation.
In 2017 The Ozarks Mini Maker Faire’s website was ranked 24th out of the 239 global faires with people in over the fifty countries checking out the website (https://theozarks.makerfaire.com/. This event successfully showcased one of O-STEAM’s goals of documenting the Ozarks region being able to stand on the STEM Dashboard internationally and the Maker Faire organization helps propel this by showcasing our event on their international platforms. O-STEAM signs the international license to organize an independent grassroots fair along with spearheading the event with a number of additional STEM/STEAM volunteers (2019 planning team who attend the organizational meetings are- Deb Wilson (O-STEAM), Steve Lien (SW MO IEEE Section), Mike LaPaige (DreamIT/MakeIT), Larry Askrew (industrial creative maker), Matthew Hyde (Discovery Center-SGF), Angela Casteel and Christina Wilkins (Springfield Public Schools), and Joanna Kramer (OTC) along with many people behind the scenes that wish to help grow the Maker Movement within our region. THIS event is truly a grassroots endeavor to promote and propel the Ozarks STEM/STEAM projects.
O-STEAM regards MAKING as the “Application of the STEM fields” often branding it STEAM (with the arts included) and acknowledges the significance and impact The Arts have in designing and innovation. They are an ALL VOLUNTEER group in four sectors- Business/Industry/Manufacturing: *Dennis Flattem (Associated Machinist/SME), *Michael Tyndall (Renegade Chemicals), Eric Mies (BKD), PreK-12th grades: *Dr. Kevin Kopp (Nixa) and *Dr. Matt Pearce (Republic), Higher Education: *Dr. Tammy Janke (MSU) and David Beach (Drury) , and Afterschool/Informal Education: *Matt Forir (MO Institute of Natural History. *Founding Board Members
New for 2019 Ozarks Mini Maker Faire was the Making 101 Class for Educators- Sponsored by BobsCNC. Over $2,500 were designated for material and prizes to the educators attending who were MOST appreciative. The material and prizes were to help educators planning and initiating Maker Curriculum, ideas, and projects for their school or area Makerspaces. Makerspaces in our school settings are growing exponentially throughout the region with many just bootstrapping with supplies. O-STEAM wanted to help educators by sharing activities and best practices. THIS year was also monumental in the fact that OTC was a major sponsor allowing FREE tickets to enter if attendees preregistered.
This event has successfully impacted our business community by showcasing our area STEM businesses as being progressive in developing a stronger STEM/STEAM Ecosystem. An example of this success is having a community patron go into an area school’s Makerspace and ask, “What do you need to really impact this space and your STEM programs?” The response, “We had just gone to the Ozarks Mini Maker Faire (2018) and saw demonstrated a carbon fiber 3D printer from D3 Technologies. That this equipment could help us design parts for our FIRST Robots program.” The cost? $10,000. The patron said, “I’ll buy it to help you reach your goals.” HOW COOL IS THAT!
This event really has made an impact in our STEM/STEAM community, developing a stronger ecosystem between the business - education - hobbyist sectors. THIS is a start to develop a stronger connected community and with the communities support- it will continue to evolve and showcase to the world the Ozarks can stand on the STEM Dashboard internationally.