PRESS RELEASE
Over 1,400 Schools Sign the Maker Promise to Grow America’s Nation of Makers
Washington, D.C., Friday, June 17, 2016 – Digital Promise, a nonprofit organization dedicated to accelerating innovation in education, and Maker Ed, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering educators to facilitate engaging learning experiences with youth through maker education, today announced that over 1,400 schools representing almost a million students from all 50 states have signed the Maker Promise.
Announced by the White House as part of President Obama’s Nation of Makers initiative, the Maker Promise is a collaborative campaign to give more students the opportunity to make. As part of this effort, Digital Promise and Maker Ed challenged school and district leaders around the country to sign the Maker Promise, a concrete commitment by schools to dedicate a space for making, designate a champion for making, and display what students make.
“We are inspired by the number of schools that rose to the challenge with their support of maker education,” said Karen Cator, President and CEO of Digital Promise. “This overwhelming statement by schools should lead us all to redouble our efforts to enable and equip parents, teachers, and students in all corners of our country to become makers.
Maker Ed’s Executive Director, Trey Lathe, said, “We are invigorated by the resounding response from school leaders, and see it as a sign that schools, educators and their learners are inspired by the movement to make, create, and design. We are honored and thrilled to continue supporting educators as they bring maker-centered learning into their classrooms.”
The Maker Promise is buoyed by the rise of the Maker Movement, a revolution that’s unleashing citizens’ ability to design and make almost anything they can envision, enhanced by digital design tools (like 3D modeling software) and production devices (like 3D printers). Maker education — a hands-on, youth-driven, open-ended approach to learning — has the potential to better engage students of all ages and better prepare them for successful careers after graduation.Participating schools will now become part of a national network of maker schools, with
Participating schools will now become part of a national network of maker schools, with access to a suite of free resources such as maker curriculum, professional development, makerspace design guides, safety strategies, and storytelling tools.
Here’s a closer look at the Maker Promise, as well as next steps and commitments from partners:
- 1,443 schools signed the Maker Promise.
- Schools signing the Maker Promise serve an estimated 948,829 students.
- At least one school from all 50 states – and the District of Columbia – signed the Maker Promise. To view a map of these schools, visit makerpromise.org.
- With support from Chevron, Digital Promise will launch a campaign to advance the understanding of safety in school makerspaces, equip schools with the tools they need to develop safe and responsible makerspaces, and empower schools to share their stories more broadly.
- With support from Google, Digital Promise will distribute 1,000 sets of safety gear to schools around the country.
- Maker Ed has secured funding to launch online professional development on Maker Ed’s Resource Library in fall 2016. These offerings will provide both big-picture and concrete guidance, training, and support related to maker education approaches, programs, and spaces.
- Maker Ed has secured funding to create its Practical Guide to Open Portfolios, a publication that shares best practices for educators who are looking to facilitate portfolios in K-12 classrooms.
To learn more about Maker Promise, please visit makerpromise.org.
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