One of the goals of the Maker Education elective class at San Fernando Middle School this year was to get students involved in composting. Maker VISTA members Lyna Abal and Carey Habiger wanted to provide students with the opportunity to create their own composting bins, learn about the environmental benefits of composting, and to take a more active role in bettering their school community. One challenge they faced when planning this project was the always persistent problem of funding. Although the students were able to reuse and repurpose some materials found in the school’s garden shed, the school wasn’t able to cover the cost of worms or new gardening supplies. However, after several students brainstormed together in search of solutions, they came up with the idea to post the project goal on the website Donor’s Choose. Within two weeks of the project goal being posted, SFMS received $982 in funding for composting and gardening supplies! What inspired Maker VISTAs Lyna and Carey most about this accomplishment was that it was entirely student-led. They brainstormed together and found Donor’s Choice, wrote and posted the project goal, and succeeded in getting the funded required to continue with this – their own – project.  

Three adjectives or adverbs that describe making at San Fernando Middle School this month:

1. Fresh
2. Challenging
3. Experimental