Tuesday, just a day for most, but for Mrs. Sytsema’s second grade class at GCCS and the students that are in Mr. Jacobs’ Intro to Engineering class at CCHS, it is their favorite day of the week. Tinker Tuesdays is the name of the program that combines high school students, second graders, and a love for STEAM.
At least once a month these kids, who are partnered with high schoolers, come to Calvin Christian High School to work on tons of stellar projects. From 3D printing, wearable technology, to pinball machines, this class does it all. Critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving, are all key skills in engineering let alone life, and they are all put into practice here
“There’s really two goals, and they go each way. For the second graders the goal is to inspire creativity, and understand that high school can actually be fun.” Says Mike Jacobs, Engineering teacher at Calvin Christian High School. This is reflected in what the second graders think of Tinker Tuesday. When asked what their favorite thing about Tinker Tuesdays was, time and time again they mentioned their buddies. “The high school kids, get this sense of unbridled creativity, unbridled imagination. When the kids come in and they are not really bound by what’s possible and what’s not possible,” He went on to say, “It really inspires and motivates the high school students and it reminds them of their past; when they weren’t bound by what’s possible and what’s not possible.” This is indeed a two way streak. The kids have this uninhibited imagination, and the high schoolers use their skills and talents to help bring those ideas to life.
Tinker Tuesdays started out as a collaboration a few years ago, between Mrs. Sytsema, and Mr. Jacobs. It was really just an idea in the beginning, but it has turned into so much more and it’s a fascinating look at what happens when you combine STEAM, creativity, and a love for God. These kids want to create a better world and they strive to find ways that they can do that. In fact one second-grader, Matthew, said that his favorite thing about Tinker Tuesdays is that, “We’re creating just like God made the world.”
The relationships that are made between the high schoolers and their buddies are long lasting friendships that don’t fade away even after the semester is done. Alyssa Keikover said, “I just enjoy how happy and excited the kids are about doing special and new things. It’s funny because I’m learning just as much as they are.” Both high-schoolers and second graders love having buddies, For a lot of the kids the fact that their high school buddies are older, smart and kind is amazing to them, and the fact that they get to know them throughout the semester means a lot to both the kids and the engineering students. My buddies come and tell me that they couldn’t wait for Tinker Tuesday. Rachel Lee mentioned, “They even dream about it. The moment I hear their excitement is my absolute favorite part about doing engineering with them.”
The fact that there is a program where kids with a love for God and an inquisitive nature can be paired with engineering students with a love for creating, can create such beautiful things. Though there is no specific path for where Tinker Tuesdays might go in the future, if it keeps on going, it’s headed somewhere amazing.
