BOARDMAN — The first Amazon Web Services Think Big Space on the West Coast is ready for students and more.

Thursday, Dec. 2, the Port of Morrow, Morrow County School District and AWS hosted the grand opening of the AWS Think Big Space at the Port of Morrow’s Sustainable Agriculture and Energy Center, Boardman.

The new Think Big Space is a dedicated space for students, educators and communities to explore innovative and imaginative ideas through interactive, hands-on technical education and cloud computing training. This new educational space, funded by AWS and the Port of Morrow, is intended to inspire students to explore and cultivate interests in science, technology, engineering and math using cloud computing and various AWS technologies.

Morrow County Commissioners Don Russell, Melissa Lindsay and Jim Doherty, Port of Morrow Commissioners Rick Stokoe, Jerry Healy and Joe Taylor, Morrow County School District officials Erin Stocker and Marie Shimer, and Ryan Neal, CEO of Port of Morrow, were among the attendees.

Grand opening activities included a ribbon-cutting, a tour of the space led by Don Walker, lead instructor of the AWS Think Big Space at the SAGE Center, and a showcase of computer-aided design drawings and robots programmed by students from Ione, Irrigon and Windy River Elementary Schools.

“This initiative wouldn’t be possible without the partnerships and shared vision for our youth,” Stokoe said at the event. “STEM education plays a vital role in preparing students for their future. We know the Think Big Space will cultivate these learning opportunities that inspire innovation.”

AWS selected the SAGE Center as the first location on the West Coast to receive an AWS Think Big Space. The Morrow County School District will oversee the curriculum, and a robust set of regional collaborators that include early childhood education and post-secondary schools will support programming.

“AWS is committed to making a positive impact in the communities where our employees live and work,” said Cornelia Robinson, global leader of AWS InCommunities. “We were incredibly impressed by the vision of the AWS Think Big Space at the SAGE Center. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity invest in the students and residents of Morrow County and provide the tools and connections they need to build, imagine, and innovate their best future.”