Blog

Hello! Blaise here, former MiX member and current communications intern.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with The MiX, it’s the Science Museum’s teens-only makerspace. From electronics, coding, computer science, 3D design/printing, woodworking and music editing, The MiX has all sorts of digital and physical tools and materials teenagers may use for projects.

During my time at The MiX, I got to participate in so many cool projects. One that immediately comes to mind is Blaise Two. I was–and still am–a huge fan of The Muppets. The supplies and tools available in The MiX inspired me to build a puppet.

I had never used a sewing machine, much less sewed anything. I made Blaise Two out of orange and red felt with a translucent plastic stick attached to his arm, brown yarn hair and a ping pong ball cut in half for the eyes. (By the way, the ping pong ball eyes are exactly what Jim Henson used to create the eyes for his original Kermit muppet!) I learned how to sew a shirt for the puppet and was even able to take advantage of The MiX’s embroidery machine to add embellishments.

I added Blaise Two to the cast of characters I used on my YouTube channel, which I also filmed in The MiX. Utilizing The MiX’s green screen studio, camera, microphones and editing software, I created a variety of films, gaming videos and vlogs for my channel.

I spent every weekend I could in The MiX during the school year. Some days, I had a project that I knew I wanted to work on but other days I just went to hang out and see what inspired me in the moment. I used to get especially excited during the summer because The MiX was open throughout the week rather than only on weekends like it is during the school year. As a teen, I had aged out of most summer camp programs, so I treated The MiX like it was my summer camp. With themed weeks, such as movie making and clay, I was exposed to a variety of maker mediums and methods.

While the unique and engaging projects were awesome–and I’m even using some of the video production skills I learned from my time in The MiX during my communications internship–that’s not what kept me always coming back. The community of people in The MiX was the real draw. I made connections with teens who I otherwise wouldn’t have had the chance to interact with, and even made some lifelong friends who I still see regularly.

Hannah McKalips was a MiX mentor when I was a member and is now the Science Museum’s MiX and Youth Programs Coordinator. Having been involved with The MiX since 2015, Hannah has seen many different iterations of the space, its programs and its members.

“The MiX is at its most successful as an informal learning and community space,” she said.” We use the teaching model Hang Out, Mess Around and Geek Out (HOMAGO) to encourage our youth to make friends, mistakes and discoveries, all as a way to foster confidence, agency and understanding. HOMAGO values the social, playful and curious ways teens engage and learn. It’s centered on–and responsive to–youth passion and interest. Through talking, playing and making, MiX members are encouraged to feel a responsibility and ownership toward the space, the success of their peers and the larger Richmond community.”

I couldn't agree more with that assessment. Even though I did not realize it at the time, I learned so much from The MiX. I not only developed skills I would go on to use in college and in my internship, but I learned how to be a supportive friend, how to collaborate with others and how to approach (and overcome!) challenges I had never come across before.

As in the past, this summer The MiX is hosting fun, themed weeks featuring workshops on worldbuilding, games, space and nature, to name a few. If you’re 13–18 years old, or have a family member who is, I highly recommend checking out The MiX. To me, it’s one of the best parts about the Science Museum. Giving teens the freedom to explore new skills and creative pursuits is a true gift.

Communications intern Blaise Wingold contributed to this blog.