ReCreate

Last month at ReCreate saw the closing out of one Maker VISTA member’s service, and the transitioning of her projects to a newer Maker VISTA member. The transition process raised some important questions and ideas around sustainability, documentation, and program growth. As Maker VISTA member Shubha prepared to conclude her service term, her year-long documentation materials were invaluable not only to her fellow Maker VISTA member Trina Lafata, but also to the organization and staff as a whole. From application guidelines to project outlines, from training tools to laser-cutting how-to’s, these materials have already paid off. Inspired by their usefulness and the potential for establishing solid documentation habits, Trina in turn has begun developing checklists and guides for nearly all of ReCreate’s program activities. This will identify materials, tools, and processes required for future VISTAs and for program partners/participants. The creation of these resources by both Shubha and Trina will significantly reduce the time required to prep for days out in classrooms, increasing the capacity for ReCreate to serve more youth in Roseville and Placer County.

The checklists and guides that Trina is creating have already begun to address many of the questions coming up at ReCreate program sites, like:

• How do I modify the activity for certain age groups?
• What are the pros/cons of the activity and how could we make it better next?
• How might I realistically integrate this into my classroom?