$7.8 million STEM center under construction in Matteson (Ill.) district

Elementary District 159 in Matteson, Ill., has broken ground on a $7.8 million STEM center.

The 19,000-square-foot STEM center will feature maker spaces for elementary students and an aerospace and atmospheric science lab for middle school students, reports the Chicago Tribune. 

The facility will offer students opportunities to learn electronics, 3D printing, computer coding, robotics and woodworking. The school will prepare children for careers as scientists and engineers.

District officials say funding for construction of the center comes from the additional tax revenue the district will receive from a massive fulfillment center Amazon is opening in Matteson.