Lab to be named in honor of young Westfield resident Annie Gotwald
The Westfield Library Foundation (WLF) has announced the dedication of its Makerspace and STEM Lab in honor of Annie Gotwald.
The dedication ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 3 at the new Westfield Washington Public Library – the day before what would have been Annie’s 10th birthday.
The Annie Gotwald Makerspace and STEM Lab will offer drop-in projects, individual STEM activities, and scheduled classes to library patrons. Gotwald, a Westfield resident who passed away unexpectedly in February, loved science and math and dreamed of one day becoming a NASA engineer.
“Annie was going into kindergarten when the pandemic hit,” her father Greg Gotwald, a graduate of Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, explained. “Rose put together activities and experiments for kids to do during that time and something just clicked in her. Annie was obsessed with outer space and planets from that point on.”
Annie’s parents set up a GoFundMe page to support STEM education in Westfield in her honor. The Westfield Library will receive the first major gift from that generous funding.
“We were just floored by the support the community provided us after Annie’s passing,” said Annie’s mom, Lindsay Gotwald. “We wanted to pass that generosity along by investing in STEM education that was accessible to everyone in Westfield. She would have loved this new space. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect opportunity to build her legacy.”
Greg and Lindsay Gotwald with daughters Samantha (on Lindsay’s lap) and Annie (on Greg’s lap). (Photo provided)
WLF Executive Director Erin Downey added, “We are incredibly honored to dedicate the Makerspace and STEM Lab to Annie Gotwald. This generous contribution will enable us to offer exceptional STEM resources and programming to the community, fostering a love for learning and innovation in our young residents – especially young girls like Annie.”
About Westfield Washington Public Library
The WWPL Mission is to foster exploration, discovery, and growth. WWPL’s Vision is to be the cornerstone of lifelong learning in Westfield and Washington Township. For more information on the Westfield Washington Public Library visit wwpl.lib.in.us.