San Fernando Middle School’s Maker VISTA members Carey Habiger and Lyna Abal were heads-down and knee-deep working on a major grant application submission in December 2017. As the year was winding down, this VISTA team and their supervisor Toutoule Ntoya were ramping up their efforts to obtain a Career Technical Education Incentive Grant (CTEIG) from […]

By December 2017, Maker VISTA member Claire Tiffany-Appleton was able to see the Lodestar Lab Makerspace come to life. At the start of the school year, this space was a once-per-week pop-up in the Learning Lab led by Ms. Ortiz, one of the Making, Art, & Design teachers. In that iteration, the Lab did not […]

A lot of hard work came to fruition at the Salmon Public Library before the close of 2017, as the Maker VISTAs delved deeper into longer-term projects. Steadfast in her mission to get maker education into local preschools, this past month Maker VISTA member Francesca Bessey invited Salmon’s early childhood educators to join her for […]

Before the close of 2017, Maker VISTA member Trina Lafata devoted time and thought to managing youth volunteers, and in general, attempting to identify ways to bolster interest, investment and follow-through from volunteers over time. In the summer of 2017, ReCreate launched their first Maker Ambassadors program, wherein high school students served as volunteers and […]

This past month, a significant project spearheaded by outgoing Maker VISTA member Blair McAvoy excitingly came to fruition. This project originally started as a summer camp in June 2017, during which Blair facilitated a partnership between C4K and UVA Engineering’s Technology Leaders Program and UVA’s Brown College (which puts on a huge, famous haunted house […]

As part of STE(A)M Truck’s presence at recent Maker Faire Atlanta, Maker VISTA members Lauren Schramm and Jamera Jones created an interactive mosaic that would invite attendees to contribute their own unique piece. With community engagement and community building set as primary goals, community-created art seemed like a natural vehicle and vessel. Lauren created a […]

On October 22, Maker VISTA members Anna Grossi and Claire Tiffany-Appleton participated in the East Bay Mini Maker Faire (EBMMF) at Park Day School in Oakland. The EBMMF is a yearly daylong event organized by parents, makers, and educators in the East Bay, and draws large crowds of makers, innovators, and curious minds. The Maker […]

In the past month, Maker VISTA member Khalil Pettway supported in coordinating and documenting two STEAM Career Days at Drew Charter School, one for the Junior and Senior Academy on October 27th, and one for the Elementary Academy on November 3rd. The goal of these STEAM Career Days is to expose Pre-K–12 students to the […]

Recently, Maker VISTA members Lyna Abal and Carey Habiger have heard more and more of these questions from San Fernando Middle School makers: How can we reserve a spot at the makerspace? (teachers) When are we coming back?! (students) Encouraged by these inquiries and ever-active, Lyna prioritized shining brighter light on the SFMS makerspace and […]

Mentorship and near-peer facilitation is a significant component of the making program at CSUSM STEM Center. Maker VISTA member Alivn Hiedo trains, coaches and supports undergraduate student STEM Ambassadors and Community Service Learning (CSL) volunteers in their work with local middle school students at high-need schools. As both a tracking/documentation tool and a forum for […]