Maker Corps at The LAB Miami, hosted by MIAMade
MIAMade is a non-profit organization dedicated to fostering a sustainable maker culture in the Great Miami area. Based out of The LAB Miami, an innovation campus in the heart of Miami’s cultural, artisanal, and technological core, MIAMade has established a diverse network of talent, capital and thought leaders to catapult the maker movement into a force for creative entrepreneurship and innovation in the community.
MIAMade’s first foray into maker culture and advocacy started with the Miami Mini Maker Faire in November 2013, which attracted over 60 makers and close to 2,000 children and adults. The success of this fair was largely due to the leadership of MIAMade’s founders in generating support from the local startup ecosystem, and that of key community partners such as the Knight Foundation, Miami Dade Public Schools, multiple local universities, The Miami Herald, and various regional maker spaces & fab labs. This stakeholder network will contribute to the foundational growth of the Miami Maker summer program.
The Miami Maker summer program will be held for local students in 9th through 12th grade at The LAB Miami. Students will apply to be accepted into one of five two-week sessions from 9am-1pm (M-F). Mostly focusing in what MIAMade refers to as “clean maker tech”, Maker Corps Members will lead classes in soldering, CAD design and prototyping, 3D printing, hardware hacking, microcontroller programming, robotics, and craft making. Students will be instructed on these disciplines and then guided through the creation of a final project of their choice. The culmination of each session will take the form of a showcase where students, joined by their families and friends, will present their work to the audience. Student projects will be prominently exhibited at the 2014 Miami Mini Maker Faire, which will take place in November.
Maker Corps Members will also play a key role in organizing and coordinating MIAMade’s community event programming for 2014, including, but not limited to the Wynwood Craft Food and Drink Festival in late July, and an “Internet of Things” Makerthon in September.
Maker Ed is delighted to welcome MIA Made as a new Maker Corps Host Site for 2014. Applications for all Maker Corps Members will open Monday, February 3, and close on March 21. Click here for more information, and to apply. – Nancy