POST FALLS — Rubbish has been wrangled into robots.

Clay has been crafted into beautiful beads.

Paper has been painted into watercolor wonderlands and pinched into origami originals.

And Mullan Trail Elementary School is the place.

Young imaginations have been set free and kids are tapping into their inner artists in preparation for the Mullan Trail Maker Faire Book Faire Family Event, which goes from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

"I’m working on making music with an app called Quaver.com," said fourth-grader Taylor Abraham. "A whole bunch of different beats with the song, like a whole bunch of drum. It’s just like beats."

Students from kindergarten through fifth grade have been working on projects two days a week for the past month to present during the maker faire. The focus has been on integrating the art (A) into the more science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM)-focused learning, giving the students well-rounded STEAM experiences.

“She thrives on art,” said Taylor's mom, Koreen Crosley. “You would not believe how hard it is to get the kids to practice their spelling words or read a book or anything like that, so once they have a little bit of a break with some artistic stuff, it gets them going on their academics a little more. I think it helps their brain rest for a minute."

Students have been experimenting with light and sound, exploring cartoon art, constructing fairy tale houses based on what they've been reading and so much more.

"Art is a way that the kids can show their creative minds and their imaginations," said Mullan Trail Principal Katrina Kramer. "I think it’s super important to make sure they have a way to have an outlet for their creativity. We don’t have enough of that.

"As far as makers, we just need to be supporting them in whatever interests them and latch onto their natural curiosities and whatever they’re interested in and show them that their education supports their interests," she said. "Wherever their interests lie can be their career path. We have no idea what their careers are going to be like in 30 years, so we get to prepare them for anything."

Fourth-grader Sam Lapka showed off a LEGO project he and a friend have been working on.

"Right here, this is some kind of alien thing. I’m not done. All these robotic looking things are aliens," he said, plucking a LEGO piece from the base plate. “My friend built ships and I built this wall to protect it, and boom, there we go."

The students have been visiting different classrooms and working on their projects during Moose Minutes, when they usually read for a half hour at the end of the day. Sam said he and the other kids are happy they've had that time to work on the maker faire.

"The entire school gets like an entire break, a break from work at the end of the day before we go home," he said. "I think it’s a blessing for the whole school to get a break from work, including me."

Second-grade teacher Jessica Lamb said the school had an art program last year, but has been converted into a tech class.

"We really wanted to bring the art back for the kids," she said. "Seeing the joy on the kids, they love it. They don’t get a chance to play with clay and they don’t get a chance to make necklaces and sculptures and stuff like that. They are enjoying it, which in turn helps us. The stress is worth it."

Mullan Trail Elementary is located at 300 W. Cherry Ave. in Post Falls.