Maker-In-Residence
In 2023, we launched our Maker-in-Residence Program for two high school students participating in our Education and Community Enrichment program. The Maker-in-Residence program aims to provide a more profound maker experience for students to engage with the makerspace, unlock and support their creative potential, build meaningful mentor relationships while learning tool proficiency, and experience vocational career exposure. This is a high-investment, high-impact pilot program was designed for participants to cultivate a growth mindset of improvement.
The Maker-in-Residence participants are awarded membership, a materials stipend, a class stipend for additional classes outside the partnership program, and one-on-one mentoring with Roundhouse experts.
Ivan Carrillo and Jazmin Juarez Flores are our Maker-in-Residence awardees for the 2023-24 academic year. Ivan spends most of his time in the Textiles Shop and Wood Shop, and has been inspired to create his own clothing line using the Cricut vinyl cutter. Jazmin creates in the Textiles Shop, learning pattern-making and custom-designing her own clothes.
Tahoe Expedition Academy Quilting Project
In the spring of 2023, Tahoe Expedition Academy (TEA) middle schoolers came to the Roundhouse to design and sew a group quilt for their school fundraiser auction. Each of the 15 students, from grades 6th - 8th, designed their own quilt square and spent the week sewing together. Our makerspace volunteer and expert quilter, Georgia Smith, assisted the students in piecing together the quilt and using her long-arm machine to stitch on the top quilted design.
Tahoe Expedition Academy is a coeducational Pre-K-12 school located on 42-acres in Truckee, California, minutes away from beautiful Lake Tahoe. TEA is fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, and was created ten years ago to change the face of education and harness the infinite power of the next generation of problem solvers.
St. Clare’s Montessori Lake Tahoe
In the fall of 2024, the Truckee Roundhouse partnered for the second year with St. Clare’s to offer an 8-week program in woodworking. While our first year focused on building basic woodworking skills, the middle school group took on a much more ambitious project the second year: to design and build a concession stand to sell coffee and snacks to the St. Clare’s community.
The concession stand project is part of the school’s Microeconomy program, where students develop a product or service during the school year and determine if the venture is successful. We loved this partnership because the students learned practical woodworking skills while complementing their business studies.
Roundhouse Woodworking Instructor and retired contractor, Brent Ferrera, led the team of students through their project, simulating what it would be like to work on a real job site and talking to the students as if they were a construction team.
The students learned valuable skills in collaboration and teamwork. They needed to work together to complete the project, and by the end, they were working very well together.
When asked if St. Clare’s would recommend the Truckee Roundhouse program to others, Adolescent Program Instructor Peter Larson said, “Yes, it’s important to have hands-on experiences. Students learn with their hands, and the Roundhouse is one of the best places to do that.” We couldn’t agree more and look forward to future projects with St. Clare’s.
Saint Clare’s Montessori School was founded to provide a nurturing, Catholic education to the children of North Lake Tahoe, and is committed to sharing a love of Christ and His teachings and the joy of the Catholic faith with our students. The program provides the children with a rich learning environment which they are encouraged to move through freely.
Sierra Expeditionary Learning School
Truckee Roundhouse has partnered with Sierra Expeditionary Learning School (SELS) to work on creative projects that make a difference in the world.
In 2018, a group of 21 eighth graders learned tool usage and techniques to fabricate butcher blocks, picture frames, ceramic mugs, and wooden coasters that they sold to raise funds for an African village water system.
In 2019, 23 sixth graders came together to create a year-end school public art piece about climate change. Students learned how to use wood shop tools, metal shop tools, CNC plasma and laser wood engraver to create a multi-medium art piece.
Sierra Expeditionary Learning School (SELS) is a K-8 tuition-free public charter within the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District. SELS inspires a diverse group of learners to achieve academic excellence and develop a strong sense of character and community. Curriculum is implemented through project-based expeditions and fieldwork that challenge students to think critically while also fostering their natural curiosity and love of learning.