Welcome to the first makerspace initiative of its kind.
We use projects to teach real-life skills, build leadership, and prepare learners to excel as young adults in a technologically advanced world. Unlike traditional education, our methods are based in educational research and numerous prior successes. Our vision is to proliferate this
to every major Air Force base in the world.
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 Screwdrivers |  Markers |  Electronic Circuit |
|---|---|---|
 Factory |  Pipes |  Laser Alignment |
 Math Notebook and Calculator |  Add a Title |  Four Skateboards |
 Boys at School |  Image by Alvaro Reyes |  Carpentry Work |
Our aim is to provide innovative and consistent project-based STEM education to the children of military families and surrounding communities.
Core Values
MAKE
We provide material and technical resources necessary for a range of engineering projects, big or small.
LEAD
MakeLAB instills leadership
skills by facilitating a learning experience centered on teamwork and self-determination.
ACTUALIZE
Our team of staff and student teachers work together to take student ideas and turn them into real products.
BUILD
This one is simple: at the end of the day we're here to build cool stuff.
Our Curriculum Model
We leverage makerspaces in many ways. One method we use to benefit the community is by enhancing extracurricular high school education using a project-based STEM curriculum which instills essential engineering skills like computer aided design, 3D printing, laser cutting and coding—as well as higher-level abilities like design thinking, creative confidence, and rapid prototyping.
1st Year:
Technical Skills
During the first year, students will become familiar with the makerspace environment and become proficient in cutting edge design & fabrication tools like 3D printing, laser cutting, and computer aided design. Students will start off with gratifying projects like custom t-shirts, 3D printed flashlights, laser cut speakers and custom laser engravings. After students have mastered basic technical skills, they will move on to more advanced open ended projects involving coding, robotics and more. And the best part is that students get to take their projects home for free!
2nd Year:
Teamwork & Design Thinking
In the second year, students will apply their technical skills to solve a real world problem in the community. Teams of students will work with an organization or individual in need of a hardware based solution to a day to day problem. After interviewing their community partner, students will prototype a technology based solution for their problem and present it at a science fair at the end of the year.
3rd Year:
Peer Teaching
In the third year, students will use everything they have learned to become mentors for younger students. During this last year of class, students will develop communication and leadership skills, deepen their own technical knowledge, and earn community service hours by assisting with classes for 1st and 2nd year students as well as helping to staff community open hours on weekends. Furthermore, advanced students will have extended access to the makeLAB makerspace and will have opportunities to apply for funding for personal projects.
