I saw this place being built and thought it was a brewery or a restaurant at first. Boy was I…read morewrong, and thankfully knew what it was before I went to an event there. This space is used to teach coding to kids as well as special events. In my case, I was there to listen to a series on technology in Indianapolis from several guest speakers. The space lends itself to small gatherings of people.. probably 50-70 at the most, with enough space for food/drinks and tables along the back. A couple of breakout rooms exist that can be closed, but it's very much an open concept kind of place.

Many many moons ago my husband started taking computer classes. We really didn't know much and…read morethere wasn't much information about what a good computer school was. Our experience with the school he picked left us very leery about computer certification. Walking into Iron Yard, I could feel the true interactive nature of the school. The offices are open and airy and had a really laid back but creative feel. My daughter took coding classes here. At 13 she doesn't have strong background in coding but after a 4 weeks class, I could see the growth in her and her knowledge of all the work that goes into building a webpage. I am very appreciative for the programs offered by the Iron Yard and would definitely recommend those looking to enhance their knowledge in building websites or creating apps that this is the place to be.

Hot tip: if you're coming here to drop off donations for the Lawrence community, look for door #5…read moreat the far end of the north side of the building. Also, make sure to call ahead and check their hours, as they vary throughout the week.

The best school district to have your scholar develop their education in!!! I'm Humbled and Honored…read moreto be an teacher for this awesome school district!!! Indeed!!!

The Zionsville Nature Center just opened last week at their new location in the Hussey Mayfield…read moreLibrary. I took my granddaughter over to visit for Earth Day, today. The new center is on the first floor of the library near the children's section. Rachel was on duty and is super knowledgable about nature and eager to visit with the kids (and adults). She told us that the new location is temporary until they move into a new dedicated facility in a few years. The center has displays of animals that are native to Indiana. There about a dozen live reptiles in the center including turtles and snakes. There are several hands on exhibits for the kids to explore. I enjoyed seeing the native birds up close. My granddaughter asked many questions that Rachel was happy to answer. The center offers monthly programs for all ages to help get kids interested in nature. You can find out and sign up for the programs through their website. We frequently sign up for the nature kits that are available over Spring Break and the holidays for a small fee. The kits come with video instructions narrated by Rachel. We just finished a kit to make a hummingbird feeder. Zionsville is fortunate to have the Nature Center.

This place is amazing. It's a hidden gem in Zionsville. If your kids like nature, and animals, and…read morehandling animal skulls and skins, then you will love the Zion Nature Center. This is a small, cottage-like nature center, but there are lots of little exhibits set up throughout. One room is all about pollinators, so you can see a honeybee hive through glass, and touch wasp nests and peer at (dead) monarch butterflies up close. Another room has a pair of microscopes set up to view pollen and spores. That same room has animal skins (shed snake skin, coyote hide, etc.) that you can pick up and touch. There's a basket full of animal feet (so hardcore) there too, like deer feet and a giant poultry claw. It's kind of gross and cool at the same time. The best room, according to my kids, is what they dubbed the "play room," because it has a bunch of toys, games, puzzles, stuffed animals, puppets and kids books. If you have young kids, you can probably stay in that room for at least an hour or more. There are wooden blocks to play with, and also a giant chalkboard wall that you can draw on. Zion Nature Center also offers educational classes and summer camp, too. Check their website -- they have an updated list of what they offer on their site. Adjacent to the nature center is a small playground with slides, a climbing wall and other fun stuff. There is also a hiking / walking trail (Zion Nature Sanctuary) several steps away, where you can go creek stomping and traversing through nature. One thing to note is that Zion Nature Center sits on the grounds of an elementary school, and the hours of operation reflect that. The nature center is only open on weekend and select holidays when school is out. Call or visit their webs try to make sure they are open before you visit.

I have been a volunteer tutor with School on Wheels for 4 years and also serve on their Young…read moreProfessionals Committee. It is the perfect volunteer opportunity to work into a busy schedule - a set hour each week, with sites all over the city, and opportunities throughout the day and evening. They just moved to a new office at the United Way campus to be closer to more of their sites and to be accessible to the families they serve by being near the Red Line. Next time we have a committee meeting, I'll add photos of their beautiful new space!

School on Wheels is an amazing non-profit organization that provides tutoring to students in…read morehomeless shelters and battered women shelters. Often times these children are the lost children of the system. They fall through the cracks because their less then ideal home situation means constantly moving from one shelter home couch to another and thus constant interruption in their education. Sometimes parents are in a constant state of shock worried with other concerns like safety, food, utilities, that their kids education is the last concern on their mind. The volunteer tutors of School on Wheels become sometimes that one beacon of light for these kids. As a tutor we assist children in their homework and play games, we provide positive reinforcement. We let them talk and and we let them be kids in their often rocky world. Being a tutor requires little commitment but just an hour a day a week. There is so much flexibility to being a tutor. As a tutor for almost 3.5 years I learned so much about myself and the children gave back to me as much as I tried to give back to them.