UPDATE 9/5/2024

The Makerspace has been reopened! If you'd like to, we're looking for volunteers willing to do an FBI and/or BCI background check to run the Makerspace for our students. If you're interested, email Mr. Spieser directly at spieser_j@milfordschools.org or you can call (513)-831-2990 (during school hours) and ask for Tyler Arnold. You can also email Dr. Arnold at arnold_t@milfordschools.org.

---Below was written on April 1st, 2024---

To Keep the Makerspace

The Makerspace is like a second home to many students in Milford High School. It’s filled to the brim with activities for students to learn and dive into, as advanced as 3D printing objects to their hearts' desire, to as simple as braiding colorful bracelets for friends and family. We have numerous students walk in every day, wanting to take advantage of what the Makerspace has to offer. People walk in every morning. Regulars who join for study halls and Flex time. 

We had over 900 students sign in last March!

Students want to be here!

Why take the Makerspace away from us? Why take away the chance for students to explore their creativity in their free time during school? Why remove the opportunity to explore new hobbies that students might not get during their own time outside of school?

We have one answer currently. It’s the only answer we have.

Budget cuts.

As of November 2023, an Operating Levy for the Milford School district failed to pass. This has caused Milford to consider and act on where to cut money for the district to not fall into Fiscal Caution, because, “Currently, the District is projected to enter Fiscal Caution in 2024 and Fiscal Emergency in 2025.” (Update 4/26/24: The page has been removed by Milford Schools, for a currently unspecified reason. The page explained what the November 2023 Levy was needed for and what would happen if it didn't pass.) They've also mentioned that "As part of our commitment to reduce the financial burden on our community, the Board and Administration have identified additional permanent cost reductions of $1.7M." To prevent going into Fiscal Caution or Emergency, Milford Schools has been cutting certain specialties, such as Fine Arts classes for the 2024-2025 year, and inevitably, they’ve decided to cut the Makerspace for next school year too. 

I’m an upcoming Junior for the 2024-2025 year. I’ve been a “Makerspace regular,” a student who’s been visiting the Makerspace regularly, for an ongoing two years. Throughout my regular visits, I’ve learned multiple skills and tricks that I would have never developed if it wasn’t for the Makerspace. The Makerspace is one of the few places in Milford High School with open access to 3D printers. I would have never learned how to find, build, and eventually make my own 3D Prints that I can call my own. I would have never learned how to use a Flashforge 3D printer, I would have never learned how to navigate the programs– I wouldn't know a lot of what I know today about 3D printing if it wasn't for the Makerspace. 

People call me a nerd for this type of interest that I have. Yet the Makerspace has a community of people just like me, with a similar interest in 3D printing things. We all help each other learn and make use of what’s in the Makerspace. Our community has grown from just a few kids like myself to multiple students who know, want to learn, or even help teach others how to use 3D Printers and everything else accessible in the Makerspace. We've essentially created a welcoming, safe environment for students to learn and make friends.

Hundreds of students visit the Makerspace every week. If we get rid of the Makerspace, where do we go? Where do those hundreds of students go? Numerous students leave their study hall room to go somewhere else, many fleeing to the Makerspace; Where will they go when the Makerspace is gone? The Media Center only has so many seats. Even then, there is not as easy access to a 3D Printer or a Cricut as there is to the Makerspace. Our next option for a 3D Printer would be one of the engineering classes or Clermont County Library. And even with that, the Makerspace has many more activities that students such as myself might not have normal or easy access to. No matter what, we shouldn't put learning what could become an important skill in life behind a class someone might not be interested in or a long wait line. 

Within the 2023-2024 school year, we’ve spent less than $500 in the Makerspace out of Milford’s budget. Now, they’re planning to cut us out to save a few bucks.

We still have supplies, such as PLA filament and Cricut vinyl, to last us through most, if not all, of next school year. The Makerspace has barely asked for anything apart from supplies that go right back to the students and 3D Printer parts. 

The Makerspace's community remains unaware of what will happen once the Makerspace is removed for the 2024-2025 school year. We know that the Makerspace may only be moved to the Junior High and not removed entirely. However, if this happens, most students in the Junior High likely won’t utilize the Makerspace as much as we high schoolers. While they have Eagle Time, that is not as much time as we get with Flex and others with study halls. 

I’ve been a Makerspace regular for two years. The Makerspace is a wonderful place with amazing people that I want students to have. We have 3D Printers, a Cricut, perler beads, yarn, wire, and a myriad of other things to explore new hobbies. Not everyone has easy access to these types of materials or machines outside of school. We’ve built a community of students like no other. We have tons of students walking in every day. We have students learning and teaching skills that they might have never found if it wasn’t for the Makerspace. 

To the Milford School Board, the Makerspace doesn’t spend much money, yet we have tons of students daily, weekly, and monthly. I’m not the only student who wants this place to stay. Students deserve a place where they can express themselves and indulge in hobbies that they would have never discovered otherwise. 

Please, reconsider cutting the Makerspace next school year. 

From me, Kenzie Cramer, and all of the others who’ve signed this petition.

Thank you.

Disclaimer: This is a student-led petition. I, Kenzie Cramer, write this petition out of my passion to keep the Makerspace in Milford High School. This petition is not affiliated with any Milford School staff. 

[Summary: The Milford School Board is going to cut or move the Makerspace from Milford High School next school year, despite the Makerspace spending very little money and having high student traffic and interest.]