Lesley STEAM joined in another rollicking evening of making at the STEAM in Riverside event at the MLK Jr. Elementary School in Cambridge, thanks to Sharlene Yang, Coordinator of the Cambridge STEAM Initiative. K-8 students brought the idea of Hack the Dollar Store to life with outlandish electronic redesigns of dollar store items.

The challenge was to choose one electronic dollar store item from the bin and use a variety of tools (screws, pliers, scissors, etc) hack open the object. Next, using art supplies and recyclables, redesign the product into a completely new customized device. Inventions included bedside reading lamps, spinning Halloween accouterments,  and suspended LED lighting. We’re looking forward to the next STEAM night at the Cambridge Upper School in January 2017!