In January, Maker VISTA member Khalil Pettway helped facilitate a Maker Night for the Drew Charter School’s Elementary Academy. For the Maker Night, Khalil and staff members guided students and parents through a button-making activity. Though the activity was simple and straightforward, the event itself was a bit more stressful to manage, as it was the first time that Drew had separate offerings for their Maker Night and their Project-Based Learning Night; previously they had been combined into one evening. While splitting up the nights was for an awesome reason — -greater attendance and interest! — it did present additional challenges, ones that many of our partners face: extra time, extra staffing and extra effort. However, working as super-duper-duo, Khalil and his supervisor Courtney Bryant were able to successfully promote both nights’ sessions, engage parents and students in the button activity, and even create interdisciplinary connections by turning the buttons into props that can be worn to an upcoming Lantern Parade in which Drew Charter is participating.

Three adjectives or adverbs that describe making at Drew Charter School this month:

1. Persistent
2. Exciting
3. Hopeful