Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County rolls out new mobile STEM lab

SOUTH BEND —In the parking lot of the Boys & Girls Clubs of St. Joseph County sits a bright blue RV, resplendent against the South Bend late-fall sky. To Jacqueline Kronk, CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs, this RV is their way to “foster a curiosity of learning among marginalized populations, especially those we cannot see every day.”

The brand-new RV There Yet? Great Futures Investor Center makerspace lab is fully equipped with laser engravers, virtual reality headsets, woodcutting machines, and a number of 3D printers and pens. The lab, which debuted Oct. 23, is set to rotate between 25 affiliated sites in St. Joseph County, including to more rural communities, visiting each location once a quarter.

“We want to bring opportunity to those who might not have it,” Kronk says. “(With the RV) we can serve all kids regardless of where they go to school.”