The Loma Linda Mini Maker Faire is coming to Loma Linda on Sunday, April 7, 2019 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. This community event on the Loma Linda Academy campus is open to the public.
This is the second Maker Faire event to be held in Loma Linda. After Gene Oswald, industrial technology teacher at Loma Linda Academy attended a Maker Faire in San Diego, he decided to create one for his students. The first Maker Faire event was last spring, and thousands of area students, parents, and teachers attended, where creators provided hands-on experience for students with things they are passionate about.
“It’s a day to excite and inspire in all areas of STREAMS: science, technology, religion, engineering, art, math, and service,” Oswald says.
The 2018 Faire hosted nearly 100 booths by both students and professionals and expert lectures. Students engaged with makers such as artists, quadcopter pilots, cooks, firefighters, engineers, quilters, botanists, musicians, chemists, locksmiths, graphic designers, tailors, architects, and more. Some even rode around campus on a nearly life-size animatronic giraffe.
“This event takes what they’ve learned in class and expands it,” Oswald explains.
Organizations involved with the Maker Faire include Garner Holt Productions, the largest producer of animatronics in the U.S.,; 501st Legion, who sew and 3D-print their own costumes and partner with Make-A-Wish Foundation; and several Adventist universities; among others.
“…see how [others] are using STREAMS to create to make life better,” says Datha Tickner, associate superintendent for education for the SECC. “It’s engaging, interactive, and fun while still being very educational. After the Faire last year, I saw a sparkle in the eyes of many students I hadn’t seen before; they wanted to contribute to their world, not just memorize facts.”
Oswald points out that every Faire is equivalent to around 100 field trips--many more than what the school can provide each year. Bringing experts to the students increases their exposure to new ideas, which inspire and excite them to use their skills and interests to make a difference...
“Maker booths allow [people] to experience a variety of ways to apply STREAMS to real life situations, using academics to build, create, and invent things that serve our community, all while growing socially as they talk with others, ask questions, and practice teamwork and leadership skills,” says Tickner.
The 2019 Loma Linda Mini Maker Faire will be a family-friendly hands-on learning event. Admission is $5.00 adults and $3.00 students.