Meet the STEM Educators: Sonia Krech Jacobsen
Pronouns:
She/her
How long have you been working with The Works Museum?
Since June 2003. This is my 22nd summer? Wow!
What is your background in engineering?
Growing up, I built soap box cars (like scooters), tree forts, book shelves, and other things with my dad and brother in my dad's cabinet making shop. I was surrounded by family who taught me the attitude of "just try".
What do you love most about working with kids?
It is impossible to have a bad day when working with children. There are always challenges, but the creativity, hope and determination children have in designing and building their own plans - that's what keeps me focused and teaching.
What’s your favorite activity or project to lead during summer camp?
I love all of our projects but one of my favorites is PreK Camps - especially Make it Squishy.
Can you share a fun or memorable moment from past summer camps?
During a preschool camp session, we carried buckets, paint brushes and water outside. The whole class worked together to add water designs to different surfaces on the building, sidewalk and parking lot. We had a silly, cooling, completely safe and mess free time exploring how water changes surfaces, and how sunshine and heat help water evaporate.
What’s one thing you hope campers take away from their time at camp?
I hope each camper takes away the knowledge that they are the best judge of their designs. One focus I keep is to remind campers (and all children) that it is never my (or any adult's) job to determine if a design is good or is something I / another adult likes. Inspiration comes from within and can never be judged by anyone other than oneself.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I love hiking trails in MN State Parks. There are so many, and showcase the beauty and diversity of nature in our state, and our dogs LOVE taking any type of walk. I am working my way through reading each of the Discworld books by Terry Pratchett. My family and I are working on some remodeling projects in our "new to us" 1907 home in St Paul, and I love all the festivals and fairs that can be found everywhere in
What’s a fun fact about you?
I can trace my ancestors back to French immigrants to what was then, the French colony of Canada, and back to German immigrants to what was then the Minnesota Territory. To highlight how much my extended family really enjoys Minnesota and much of the northern Midwest, most of my 33 cousins (both sides) live in Minnesota and Wisconsin. It's a great place to make deep roots!
Why PreK Camps are Your Favorite Camps:
At The Works Museum, I believe every child is an engineer. That belief comes to life for me every time I work with our youngest campers, especially the curious and creative kids in our PreK programs. These camps are some of my favorite moments as a STEM educator.
What makes these camps so special to me is how young kids approach learning. They don’t come in with limits. They aren’t worried about what they’re supposed to do. They dive right in, try new things, and explore with total freedom. I love watching their curiosity in action. They experiment, imagine, and build with excitement. It’s messy, joyful, and filled with hands-on learning.
I’m especially passionate about how we design our PreK camps to support that kind of open-ended exploration. Each project is built so every child can make it their own. Even if they all start with the same idea, each camper brings something unique to it. They use their own ideas, their own designs, and build everything with their own two hands. The focus is not on doing it the “right” way, but on creating something that reflects their thinking and creativity.
One of my favorite camps to teach is Make It Squishy. In this sensory-rich camp, kids explore different textures and materials while creating their own squishy creatures. They get to experiment with how things feel, how they behave, and how to combine them in creative ways. It’s a full experience of engineering through play.
These PreK camps are more than just fun. They build a strong foundation for problem-solving, creativity, and confidence. The kids I work with are already engineers. I simply provide the space, materials, and encouragement to help them show it.
