At the Clute Library in Clute, Texas, afternoons do not wind down when the school bell rings. They ramp up. Located directly across the street from the local intermediate school, the library becomes a steady stream of backpacks, laughter, and curiosity as students head over after class. For many families in this lower income community, that proximity matters. With parents often working one or two jobs well into the evening, the library has long served as a safe, welcoming place where kids can learn, explore, and simply be kids.
That role has only grown stronger since Youth Specialist Erin Prinz launched hands-on STEM programming like Drones and Droids, a robotics focused program that quickly became one of the library’s most popular offerings.
“We get inundated with kids when school gets out in the afternoon,” Erin said. “So we realized pretty quickly that if we wanted teens to come, we had to meet them when they were already here.”
Originally scheduled as an evening program, Drones and Droids was moved to 3:30 p.m., right when students began filing into the building. The response was immediate. “They were so excited to see robotic programming in the library,” Erin said. “A lot of them had never used anything like this before.”
Turning Chaos Into Creative Energy
Erin’s first Drones and Droids program drew nearly 50 students, a big number for a small rural branch. With 15 drones ordered and excitement running high, Erin quickly learned that managing energy was just as important as managing technology.
“I definitely bit off more than I could chew at first,” Erin admits. “Kids are excited, they’ve got the zoomies, and drones can get chaotic fast.
Instead of running multiple drones at once, Erin pivoted on the fly, literally. The group used one drone and turned it into a shared challenge, complete with an obstacle course. Students took turns flying through hoops and landing in a duct tape square on the floor. “There wasn’t a prize,” Erin said. “They got street cred, and honestly, that mattered more.”
Alongside drones, students explored Ozobots, tiny robots that follow color coded paths drawn with markers. By using sequences of red, black, and orange, kids learned how to control speed and direction while experimenting with basic programming concepts.
“It’s about providing access,” Erin said. “Even if they don’t want to be engineers someday, they love having that exposure.”
Branch Manager Sarah Box sees these programs as a vital extension of what students may not always get during the school day. “Our community is in a lower socioeconomic area,” Sarah said. “A lot of parents work one or two jobs. Kids can come here, be out of the elements, and be in a safe space where they are still learning.”
A Library That Feels Like Home
Sarah has been at the Clute Library for 11 years and says the after school crowd has always been part of the building’s rhythm. “There’s always been a school right across the street,” she said. “Kids just come.”
What has changed is the depth of engagement. Erin knows the regulars by name. They ask when the next program is happening and what new technology they will get to try. “The relationships we’ve built with the kids have been great,” Erin said. “They know us, and we know them.”
Much of the technology used in programs like Drones and Droids was purchased through a Dow Gives Community Grant. The library makes a point to use everything it has, from Ozobots and Sphero robots to Cublets and iPads.
Even for Erin, who does not consider herself tech savvy, the learning curve has been part of the reward. “I had to learn it before I could teach it,” she said. “And if I can learn it, so can they.”
As Clute Library continues to explore new grants and future partnerships, especially with the school across the street, one thing is clear. When school lets out, learning does not stop. It just crosses the street.
