From the outside, it looks like an old school building. There is a flag pole in front of the traditional brick building located at 1200 Nester Lane in Mansfield, in addition to a sign that reads “Springmill Learning Center.”
However, upon entering the front door and peering into the vibrantly colored rooms filled with all sorts of gizmos and gadgets, a visitor may re-evaluate his or her first impression.
Teacher Fred Boll stated, “Springmill is a shining star for the community. We’re really trying to do education differently and impact the students in a significant way by allowing them to take concepts they’re learning in the classroom and experience them here.”
In 2010, Mansfield City Schools’ teachers, Brad Strong, Fred Boll, and Janet Ellsworth were charged with the task of creating an interactive museum-like space which Mansfield City Schools students could utilize.
Previous Superintendent Dan Freund eyed the Springmill Elementary building to serve as the site for the new center.
In reference to the 51-year-old vacant elementary building, Strong noted, “The building was an absolute disaster…There were broken windows, water on the floors, a raccoon in the building.”
Despite the intimidating project ahead, the Springmill staff got to work and finished the first phase, the Adventure Gallery, in November 2011.
Features in the room include a high ropes course, rock climbing wall complete with imbedded Richland County fossils, murals of nature scenes, along with three-dimensional tree roots sticking out from the side of the wall.
The Adventure Gallery is a favorite among many of the visitors, particularly Malabar Intermediate students Lucas Cochran, 9, and Benjamin Eckert, 10. Both of whom eagerly anticipated climbing the rock wall.
Were they scared?
“No, I’m not scared,” said Eckert. My sister was pretty scared, but I’m not afraid of heights anymore.”
Cochran nodded in agreement and proceeded to get harnessed in so he could scale the wall.
The next phase completed was the Bird Observation Area, which is part of the outdoor education program.
Then a series of rooms and galleries were constructed to facilitate math and science education. There is also a cafeteria, gift shop, and meeting room space.
During the ideation and creation process, Springmall staff consulted local professors from The Ohio State University at Mansfield, North Central State College, and Ashland University, along with Kevin Haring of Splashmakers in Mansfield.
Strong noted that some of the design ideas arose sporadically. He described one instance in which he needed to withdraw money from an ATM and that triggered the idea of incorporating fake ATM machines in one of the galleries to help students learn about factoring.
“We’re teaching the kids, but we’re reinforcing lessons as well in a fun way. For instance how do you do factoring? Factor trees. We do it a little differently here. We wanted to take a different approach to something that we knew was very important but in a way that could reinforce what teachers are teaching in the classroom.”
Ninety-five percent of the contractors involved in the creation of Springmill were Richland County-based businesses, said Strong.
Along with incorporating new and innovative items in the center, the staff incorporated materials from Mansfield City Schools, such as lockers for tables, thereby creating a familiar atmosphere for Mansfield students.
Fourth, fifth, and sixth graders are the target audience for the Springmill Learning Center; however, the facility welcomes all ages and sees visits from both younger and older crowds.
Local schools and organizations rent out the center, which brings in revenue for the Mansfield City Schools’ District.
The facility is designed to engage students in learning and reinforce Ohio Academic Content Standards, Common Core Standards, and STEM concepts.
And the students are responding to this mission in a positive way. Strong said that Mansfield City Schools’ math scores have increased. “Mansfield has a lot of other things with the Algebra Project, among other variables, but we’re certainly adding to their scores.”
He added that Lucas Schools, another visitor of the center, have seen a boost in their math scores, too.
“The interactive education is beneficial to the kids, and I think the motivation to learn in an interactive setting is much stronger,” said Mansfield City Schools Board President Chris Elswick.
Mansfield City Schools’ teacher Michelle Lehman has been taking groups of students to visit the Springmill Learning Center since it first opened. She noted that by visiting the center, “I’ve seen the students gain courage, self-respect, confidence, and listening skills.”
The teachers may tailor their trips to the center according to lessons they are currently teaching or would like to teach to the students.
Looking ahead to future goals, the Springmill staff hopes to build an algebra gallery that will resemble a submarine along with an engineering/robotics gallery, and possibly a history gallery. Strong added that the staff would like to start a STEM school in the building, as well.
“As a teacher in the Mansfield City Schools, getting the opportunity of laying out a facility like this and knowing it’s going to impact generations of Mansfield kids is something that’s really special to me,” said Strong.
“Many of our kids don’t get to travel outside of the community. That shouldn’t be anything that holds our kids back,” he added.
On a final encouraging note Strong questioned, “Every community has vacant buildings—what if we took those buildings and repurposed them for educational purposes for our kids, so our kids could learn in a different way?”
“We could do this.”
“Springmill is a shining star for the community. We’re really trying to do education differently and impact the students in a significant way by allowing them to take concepts they’re learning in the classroom experience them here,” stated teacher Fred Boll.
