Community Fabrication

Teaching the Art of Manufacturing

Creates Abundant Opportunities for -The next generation-

Being interested is foundational to great learning, so we made manufacturing custom skis & snowboards really interesting.

We know now not every student excels at mathematics or language arts. Some of them will excel in the manual arts and creative problem solving. This is key to a better future.

At first, we teach the students and then we encourage a profound shift- They begin to teach each other.

Quality at each step is paramount. It's understanding that your contribution is for the greater good. Underlying this is a sense of purpose to be part of a community that is building something great.

Children, young adults, adults- We're all sensitive to the environments in which we work and learn. So we knew if we were going to get students excited about manufacturing, we'd have to be in exciting environments.

Problem solving with direct consequences really focuses the mind. But what really makes this powerful is knowing that the consequences will be excepted and when appropriate, laughed at, but always whole heartily embraced.

There is no test score, no grade. In a sense the accomplishment wasn't the skis they built. For some it was realizing they loved to work with their hands and problem solve. For others, they realized they have a knack for teaching. One or two may have gotten excited about materials sciences, or applied math. But at the end of each workshop, these students will have a reference point in life, something that stands out, something they are proud of.

One of the most powerful things in life is the ability to have a good conversation. To listen well. These things can give us purpose and with purpose we can accomplish meaningful things. If those meaningful things unfold within a community, we are truly living up to our potential. Each student has potential. We created a program to help them find it.