By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer

NORTH SHELBY—No one is too young to be a scientist at the North Shelby Library. The library’s STEM initiative is designed to introduce children of all ages to science, technology, engineering and math concepts in a fun, hands-on way.

A grant from the American Library Association and Dollar General has helped fund several non-traditional STEM programs at the library, including Preschool Kitchen Science, gardening and Art in Action.

“We’re really excited about it,” North Shelby Library children’s librarian Savannah Kitchens said. “Science doesn’t just take place in a lab by a man with a white coat.”

On April 29, children put their math skills to work, reproducing and creating images on a mural during the North Shelby Library’s Art in Action program.

Librarian Kristy Hearn showed how to recreate an image using gridding. Then, children put the technique to work to create a colorful bottle cap mural for the library.

Using proportions and grids, children recreated images and designs on to the mural.

“While you can be completely creative (in art)…in order for (a piece) to be accurate, you have to use math,” Hearn said. “They’re doing science. They’re getting it without realizing it.”

Although the library might not seem like the place to find science in action, the North Shelby Library’s STEM programs have been a hit among children of all ages and interests, Kitchens said.

“We think literacy and learning and reading can all go hand-in-hand with STEM,” Kitchens said. “We really strove to serve kids as young as preschool all the way to older school age kids.”

The library has more STEM programs in store for May. On May 11, kids age five and up can learn the science behind baking bread, Preschool Kitchen Science will return again on May 13 and on May 20 young scientists will celebrate their gardening work with a garden party and snacks grown from the library garden.

For more information about the North Shelby Library’s STEM programs and other events, visit Northshelbylibrary.evanced.info/signup/eventcalendar.aspx.