by Joe Diaz
Back in January, we introduced our 2025 cohort of PLIX Creative Learning Interns: Kailey Bridgeman, Jessica Zheng, Daphne Rodas, and Chloe Smith. These four MIT students enthusiastically joined this pilot internship program, eager to explore how learning can thrive in public libraries and to share their curiosity and knowledge with the PLIX Ambassador cohort. Let’s look back on their journeys!
Getting Oriented
To ensure everyone started on the same page, the internship began with a deep dive into PLIX’s facilitation philosophy and creative learning practices. This training took place during MIT’s Independent Activities Period (IAP) in January 2025, a time at MIT where students can study whatever they like before beginning their spring semesters, the training encouraged the interns to shift towards teaching mindsets that were more open-ended and focused on learner-centered approaches. Activities included exploring Creative Learning, practicing empathy with a variety of audiences, and building activities with Design Thinking.
Kailey noted that this orientation helped to frame her expectations for how to facilitate activities with learners and that the time spent preparing led to success with her time in libraries down the road. Jessica, who participated remotely while teaching in Italy, appreciated how the training gave names to concepts she valued. For example, she cited the use of the term “remix” and how it is used to describe how educators adapt materials for different audiences and contexts.
Designing Over the Spring Semester
Throughout the spring, each intern was paired with a PLIX Ambassador to co-create workshops tailored to their library’s community. Building on the principles introduced during IAP, the interns emphasized collaboration, creativity, and adaptability as they designed and tested new activities. They also practiced facilitation with local audiences at public libraries in Somerville, MA, with support from local Youth Services Librarian, Alison Mitchell. Describing the local sessions as “helpful to be able to imagine and think through how activities worked,” Daphne noted that this practice built shared language that she used in regular meetings with her Ambassador, Miria Webb in Clinton, TN.
During MIT’s Spring Break, most interns traveled to their partner libraries to facilitate the workshops they had co-designed—bringing months of planning to life and experiencing the real-world impact of their work.
- Kailey partnered with Katelyn Turner in Roswell, NM, creating an activity that challenged participants to build “Rube Goldberg-style” contraptions. Using paper circuits, micro:bits, and other PLIX activities, the building process was designed to allow participants in the activity to engage in ways that met their interest, comfort, and confidence levels. The activity was designed to be flexible for a wide range of ages and backgrounds, from homeschoolers to middle schoolers. Kailey described the experience as “higher stakes,” given the community’s limited access to regular STEAM programming.
- Jessica collaborated with Jennifer Vinzons in Kapolei, HI, integrating PLIX activities into a larger “Avian Escape Room” experience. This was a long-desired idea at Jennifer’s library, and the idea took flight! To connect with the region, the pair chose to raise awareness about Hawaiian birds, making conservation topics accessible and exciting for a broader audience including those who may not be familiar with the threats to various species. The escape room model encouraged participants to work in groups to solve bird-themed puzzles designed to highlight specific characteristics, habitats, and conservation challenges of local birds.
- Daphne and Chloe worked together to support two ambassadors, Katie Nelson in Beverly, MA and Miria Webb in Clinton, TN.
- First in MA, Chloe and Katie developed “Explore Your Senses,” a set of activities that encouraged library visitors to consider their powers of sight, smell, taste, vision, and touch through a series of prompts and toys that encouraged playful exploration. Unfortunately, Chloe was unable to attend in person, but Daphne stepped in to assist!
- Later, Daphne worked with Miria to explore how OctoStudio, a mobile coding app from MIT, could be used to tell stories in library settings. While she couldn’t travel to Clinton, Daphne contributed to event promotion and ran practice sessions that helped refine the workshop. She later reflected on the importance of designing activities that are adaptable to different environments and accessible to facilitators with varying levels of tech expertise.
Reflection & Final Thoughts
As the internship came to a close, each intern shared how the experience shaped their personal and professional growth through their collaborations with library ambassadors and community members.
- Kailey deepened her ability to connect with diverse audiences and navigate ambiguity in educational settings,
- Jessica strengthened her confidence in unfamiliar environments and honed her science communication skills,
- Daphne found alignment with her values in making STEAM education more accessible and inclusive,
- and Chloe, though not present for the final phase, contributed meaningfully to the cohort’s early development and collaborative spirit.
Their reflections also offered thoughtful suggestions for future iterations of the internship. Improving with more structured peer feedback and preparation for traveling to on-site locations will help shape a stronger, more supportive experience for future interns. Even so, we are very pleased with the results of this pilot PLIX internship and the progress these students have made as facilitators, collaborators, and changemakers.
We’re incredibly proud of Kailey, Jessica, Daphne, and Chloe and grateful for the insight and heart they each brought to this program. Congratulations to the 2025 PLIX Creative Learning Intern Cohort!
In their own words…
- As part of their IAP training in Facilitating Creative Learning, they reflected on…
- their past experiences with creative learning
- how different types of example projects help model internal learning processes
- and how research can be translated to hands-on STEAM activities
- Here are some of their reflections running a STEAM library program in Somerville Public Library West Branch for ages 7 and up!
- Jessica Zheng collaborated with PLIX Ambassador Jennifer Vinzons (Kapolei, HI) to co-design (and travel to facilitate) a STEAM escape room that includes PLIX activities, themed around Hawaiian endemic birds
- Kailey Bridgeman collaborated with PLIX Ambassador Katelyn Turner (Roswell, NM) to co-design (and travel to facilitate) a Rube Goldberg Contraptions, with multiple STEAM challenges