Photo by whitehouse.gov
Popup Play had a unique and exciting opportunity last week. On Thursday, June 23rd, one of our very own castles was at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History! We partnered with the Laboratory School for Advanced Manufacturing to celebrate the White House’s Nation of Makers Initiative, which encourages tech education and entrepreneurship.
“During National Week of Making, we recommit to sparking the creative confidence of all Americans and to giving them the skills, mentors, and resources they need to harness their passion and tackle some of our planet’s greatest challenges.”
– President Obama
The initiative and week celebrates America’s proud history of inventors and innovators by promoting a “maker-mindset” in businesses and communities with a special focus on education. Creatives and engineers alike gathered at Maker Faires, in museums, and at schools to showcase their inventions and mentor young entrepreneurs.
Highlights from the Week of Makers
The week kicked off with a meeting of fifty makers from across the country. Every state was represented by these innovation-ambassadors. The meeting was held to create a network of creators and entrepreneurs within their home states and across the country, further reinforcing President’s Nation of Makers Initiative.
Photo by whitehouse.gov
From June 18th-19th, our nation’s capitol hosted the Second Annual Maker Faire in which showcased 103 maker exhibits, 57 speakers, and 22 organizations. It’s a gathering of curious individuals showing off their inventions and designs. Think of it as the ultimate science fair experience where our nation’s greatest creative minds show-and-tell their innovations.
Photo by Tyler Daniels, whitehouse.gov
The Career Technology Education (CTE) Makeover Challenge was hosted by the U.S. Department of Education. The contest awarded ten high schools $200,000 each for transforming classrooms or available spaces in their schools into design and innovation studios, reinforcing the “maker mindset” in these schools. Congratulations to the winning schools!
Burlington Technical Center, Burlington, VT
Capital City Public Charter School, Washington, DC
Carl Schurz High School, Chicago, IL
Clearwater High School, Piedmont, MO
Dominion High School, Sterling, VA
John H. Reagan Early College High School, Austin, TX
Palisades Charter High School, Pacific Palisades, CA
Theodore Roosevelt High School, San Antonio, TX
THINC College & Career Academy, Lagrange, GA
William B. Travis Early College High School, Austin, TX
Celebrating a Week of Making the Popup Play Way
As you know, Popup Play loves activities that teach kids about tech and engineering so we were happy to help. We partnered with the Laboratory School for Advanced Manufacturing to create a fun, hands-on experience for the kids. The castle displayed in a special area in the Smithsonian called the Draper Spark!Lab, or the Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation, where kids can experiment and invent at various stations.
Photo by exhibits.si.edu
During the event, budding scientists and engineers used tablets to design playhouses in the Popup Play Build Lab, developing a creation all their own.
The Popup Play crew enjoyed being a part of this special program because it helps raise kids who thrive in imaginative, hands-on activities, sparking interest in science, tech, and who thrive in imaginative, hands-on activities, sparking interest in science, tech, and manufacturing careers. The Nation of Makers Initiative is important because fostering creativity and imaginative critical-thinking in kids develops a confidence and sense of accomplishment only felt after creating something all their own.
How’d you support the #NationofMakers?
Did you participate in the National Week of Making? Share your science experiments, your cool inventions, or brilliant designs with the PopUp Play community. Did you create a periscope or build a catapult? Share your stories on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media using #NationofMakers and be sure to tag us @PopUpPlayToy!