In the realm of education innovation, Project Ember stands as a beacon of creativity and experiential learning. Founded by Katie Richmond and Joshua Rothhaas, Project Ember blends art, engineering, and social-emotional learning to empower children aged 6-17 to explore their imagination and build tangible creations. My collaboration with Project Ember has been transformative, shaping my approach to education and fostering a deep appreciation for student-led learning.

I first crossed paths with Joshua Rothhaas while he was working at Brightworks, an innovativeK-8 school in San Francisco led by Gever Tulley. As a part of the research and design phase at KLS, I visited Brightworks several times and often my team and I met with Josh to study the large scale building that they engaged in with young students. Josh played a pivotal role in bringing Gever Tulley’s visionary educational concepts to life at Brightworks, and especially in Brightworks’ summer camp, Tinkering School. Josh was instrumental in growing both programs and I was immediately drawn to Josh’s expertise and passion for hands-on learning. I gained a relationship that would profoundly impact my career. One afternoon Josh invited me to lunch to tell me about his idea for a new summer camp that he was co-founding with his partner Katie Richmond. They were looking for a location to host their pilot program. At the time I was working as Director of Learning at RAFT, and knew that Josh and Katie’s maker-education aesthetic and innovative outlook was the perfect match for RAFT’s upcylced and often unconventional donated leaning materials. I witnessed firsthand the transformative power of student-driven exploration, so I invited Project Ember to hold its first summer camp at RAFT’s headquarters in San Jose, CA. The pilot was a huge hit for both organizations, and Project Ember’s first summer camp was born:

I was immediately smitten with the effectiveness and fun that Project Ember brough to its students and adult “collaborators.” Collaborators is a specific title designed to remind both student and adult that the role of teacher in this environment is meant to open doors and widen possibilities but not to direct students into absolute assigned or predetermined work. Students authentically are supported in creating whatever they can imagine, and the adults are simply there to elevate those dreams and show students that they can be made real.

I continued to give my time and support to Project Ember through its early growth, both to support the program but also to reinforce my teaching practice. Inspired by Project Ember’s ethos, I volunteered my time and resources to support their endeavors from the first time Josh told me that he and Katie were starting on the project. Some summers, I served as a one or two week volunteer guest collaborator with Project Ember, and later when I joined the team I worked as a full time, full summer with collaborator during off time in the summer while teaching in public and charter classrooms during the school year. While I was working in formal leadership roles wether at the county office or with non-profits, my time volunteering with Project Ember was also building a desire within me to return to classroom teaching, my first passion in education. I began to feel a growing desire to reconnect with the direct interactions and transformative experiences that teaching offers. It was during this time that I spent several weeks immersing myself in the world of Project Ember, guiding campers as they brought their imaginative visions to life.

I spent several weeks building amazing and huge flying-unicorn-treehouses-rollercoasters or whatever kids could imagine at Project Ember. It was overwhelmingly joyful to work with students who are deeply engaged and excited by their own passions and imaginiation. Each project taught me valuable lessons about understanding the experience of a very young person attempting a very daunting new task, and it taught me new strategies for pushing students’ imaginations and engagement beyond what they expect in a traditional classroom. My experience working with campers at Project Ember not only enriched my understanding of educational pedagogy but also reliably equipped me with valuable skills that I could later apply in the classroom.

Working alongside these young innovators provided me with a fresh perspective on education, one rooted in hands-on, experiential learning and student-driven exploration. Through collaborative projects and creative challenges, I witnessed the power of fostering curiosity, resilience, and ingenuity in young learners.

The campers’ boundless enthusiasm and innovative spirit inspired me to tap into my own creativity and adaptability as an educator. I learned to embrace uncertainty, think outside the box, and cultivate a supportive learning environment where students felt empowered to take risks and pursue their passions.

The experience of guiding campers through the process of realizing their dreams instilled in me a deep sense of fulfillment and purpose. It reaffirmed my belief in the profound impact that educators can have on shaping the aspirations and aspirations of the next generation.

In 2019 I was asked by the Projcet Ember leadership team to consider joining them in creating a roadmap for Project Ember’s Future. As I transitioned from my role at the Monterey County Office of Education to join Project Ember’s leadership team in 2020, I was energized by the prospect of expanding the camp’s offerings and securing long-term resources including real estate that would provide a permanent home for the overnight camp. However, 2020 had a different plan for Project  Ember and the rest of the world…

Build Together @ Home

The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic presented unforeseen challenges. Project Ember faced the daunting task of adapting its operations to continue serving its community of young learners. With traditional in-person camps and events no longer viable, the team rallied together to innovate and create new opportunities for campers who would be stuck at home in the summer of 2020, while keeping to our fundamental loyalty to creating large scale creative and empowering learning experiences.

One of the pivotal responses to the pandemic was the launch of Build Together at Home, an online camp designed to bring the magic of Project Ember directly into the homes of campers. Through virtual platforms like Zoom, students were able to participate in hands-on activities, creative challenges, and collaborative projects, all while staying connected with their peers and mentors. Build Together at Home provided a much-needed sense of normalcy and excitement during uncertain times, fostering a supportive and engaging environment for young learners to explore their interests and unleash their creativity.

In addition to the online camp, Project Ember expanded its offerings into the digital realm with the introduction of a Minecraft after school program. What began as a solution to continue engagement during the pandemic quickly evolved into a full-fledged program that transcended geographical barriers. The Minecraft platform provided an immersive and interactive space for students to collaborate, problem-solve, and unleash their imagination. What started as an adaptation to challenging circumstances became a powerful tool for learning and community-building, ultimately expanding to become an after school offering for an entire school district.

As part of Project Ember’s commitment to innovation and educational excellence, the team also created two additional new products directly serving students and teachers. The team attended online meetings with the Region 5 STEAM steering committee to uncover needs and pain points schools, teachers, and students were experiencing. We found plenty. Teachers were inexperienced using the tools and had few practices or strategies for creating engagement online. Many students turned off cameras and microphones for a variety of reasons and disengaged from the zoom calls.

Overwhelmingly the team observed that educators were reporting a lack of engagement with their students and classroom communities. Students frequently turned off their cameras and microphones. technology problems were rampant, and many families had to quickly redesign their living spaces to accommodate several new needs for space and sound. Our team had a very different experience during our summer Build Together @ Home camps, and we were eager to share the strategy we had devleoped with teachers struggling in the online teaching experience.

Through free-for-teachers online workshops, Project Ember provided educators with essential skills and resources to effectively conduct their classes over platforms like Zoom. These workshops covered a wide range of topics, including utilizing Zoom’s features to enhance virtual instruction, fostering student engagement through interactive activities, and creating dynamic and inclusive learning environments online.

One key focus of the workshops was on introducing teachers to innovative and engaging activities designed specifically for online settings. From interactive online games to community meeting activities that promote connection and collaboration among students, Project Ember equipped educators with a diverse toolkit of strategies to keep students actively engaged and motivated in virtual learning environments.

Project Ember’s workshops also delved into the realm of creative expression, offering guidance on facilitating collaborative online artmaking activities. These activities not only provided students with an outlet for self-expression but also fostered a sense of community and teamwork, even in virtual settings.

Sciencepalooza

After a meeting with the Region 5 STEAM steering committee we were approached by an organization that helps to put on an annual science fair in the East Bay Science Fair named Sciencepalooza. The event would be cancelled as no in-person location existed for a large event supporting multiple high schools during the outset of the COVID pandemic. Interested in our presentations about engaging students with our Build Together @ Home, the group asked us for ideas that could allow the Sciencepalooza to occur as an engaging online event. Our team proposed this virtual event brought together students from across the region to showcase their scientific prowess and creativity in a digital format. Participants had the opportunity to design and present their projects within the virtual world of Minecraft, fostering a sense of excitement and discovery despite the limitations imposed by the pandemic. Sciencepalooza not only provided a platform for students to share their work but also highlighted the resilience and adaptability of Project Ember in the face of adversity.

Learn.ProjectEmber.com

During the 2020-2021 School year, Project Ember developed several products to help drive income, serve its customer and endure the COVID pandemic shutdown that deeply affected its laregly in-person business. One of these products was a monthly weekend free training session for teachers. In these half day Sundsay sessions, our team would share tools and techniques with teaxchers that helped our online summer camps to thrive as active and participatory experiences, where most online classrooms were pushing students farteher away from their teachers and each other. By empowering teachers with the knowledge and resources needed to effectively navigate online instruction, Project Ember played a vital role in supporting educators during a time of unprecedented challenges. Through its commitment to providing high-quality training and support, Project Ember demonstrated its dedication to advancing education and empowering teachers to thrive in virtual learning environments.

Return to In-Person Camps

Despite the uncertainty of the times, Project Ember remained steadfast in its commitment to student-centered learning and safety. We invested heavily in COVID safety measures, ensuring that testing and PPE were readily available for all participants. Our resilience and adaptability not only sustained us through the pandemic but also expanded our reach, forging partnerships with school districts to deliver online learning experiences.

Later in my career, around 2021, as the COVID-19 pandemic had prompted a significant exodus of teachers from the profession, I felt a strong pull to return to the classroom and make a meaningful impact on students’ lives. I was excited by the positive experiences with students and a continued drive to bring a bigger and more meaningful experience into public schools. I continued to volunteer and work with Project Ember during the summer as I transitioned back to the classroom “school year” amid the challenges of the pandemic, I carried with me the lessons and experiences gained from my time at Project Ember.

As I reflect on my journey with Project Ember, I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to collaborate with such a visionary organization. Together, we have demonstrated the boundless potential of hands-on and project based learning and fostered a community of creative thinkers. As we navigate the challenges of the future, we will continue to embrace innovation and empower the next generation of builders and dreamers. While Project Ember is currently on an extended hiatus, I look forward to its return!