Historically, Pueblo is a strong blue-collar, industrial, manufacturing and agricultural community.

Since people here make things, the Colorado State University Extension Office wants to help transform the Steel City into a Maker City.

CSU Extension has implemented programming for youths and adults in manufacturing with the ultimate goal of making Pueblo a Maker City.

The Pueblo County commissioners on Wednesday agreed to send a letter of support to Etsy, an online seller and marketplace for crafters and entrepreneurs. The company is offering a two-year $60,000 grant to develop a Maker City.

Jane Crayton, a science, technology, engineering, arts and math agent for CSU Extension in Pueblo, has been spurring the Maker Movement program in the city and has applied for the grant.

The Maker Movement is an evolution of millions of people who are taking big risks to start their own small businesses dedicated to creating and selling self-made products

�We�ve had a long and vibrant history here in Pueblo. I believe that Pueblo aligns with this vision,� Crayton said.

�I am looking to develop programs working with youths and facilitating the adult makers in our community to help youths with projects.�

The Maker Movement has been around for 10 years and produces Make Magazine � a periodical that showcases projects from building drones to building a pizza oven.

Crayton has put together a strategic plan to implement the Maker program in Pueblo. The programs go together with Maker Ed, a nonprofit organization started by Maker Media.

�Maker Ed also is a philosophy of teaching hands-on, project-based learning,� Crayton said. �We are trying to engage Pueblo in revitalizing our maker and creative economies.�

She said the program aligns with the cultural norms within Pueblo surrounding STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education.

In the letter of support from the commissioners, the board states that nearly 77 percent of public school students receive free and reduced lunches and 41 percent of the schools are listed as Federal Title 1 schools. Pueblo also is home to a diverse population, with Latinos and those of Hispanic decent making up slightly more than 50 percent of the population.

�This program, hopefully, will help inspire some of these kids to follow up on STEM careers, specifically in the area of engineering and technology as a major focus, utilizing science and math to back those up,� Crayton said.

Crayton attended a Maker Ed Summit and the Bay Area Maker Faire last week. Crayton is planning to hold a �Maker Faire� at the Colorado State Fairgrounds in Pueblo in October.

Crayton has scheduled a planning meeting at the Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library at 5:30 p.m. today in the Idea Factory to talk about her efforts.

For more information or to become a volunteer, email jane.crayton@colostate.edu or call 583-6566.

anthonym@chieftain.com