Creativity and Innovation in TEL HI’s Makerspaces
July 27, 2026
Throughout the summer, TEL HI’s Makerspaces programs gave young people meaningful opportunities to explore creativity, curiosity, and problem-solving through hands-on learning.
Students in our Elementary School Academy (ESA) Summer Camp built wind-powered cars and tested their designs with a fan to see how fast they could go. They also created edible fuse beads, tie-dyed, made “found object” portraits, and explored resin pouring.
Middle school campers strengthened their engineering, problem-solving, and collaboration skills during TEL HI’s Beacon Summer Program at Francisco Middle School as they participated in the Second Annual Cardboard Derby, part of the program’s fifth annual Cardboard Madness event, on Tuesday, July 21, 2026.
Over four weeks, students worked in teams to design and build 10 one-of-a-kind derby cars using cardboard and other recycled materials before racing them down Francisco Street.
Led by Beacon Makerspace Educator Brendon Bell, the event brought together community members and fellow TEL HI students from both the Beacon Middle School and ESA Elementary School afterschool programs. District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter helped kick off the festivities, while TEL HI Board President Fady Zoubi and Vice President Tim Keefe joined in celebrating the students’ hard work. Awards recognized standout achievements in creativity, design, and performance.
ABC7 News featured the event during its morning news broadcast on July 22.
Watch the clip here: https://youtu.be/J4OADjckTkc
Looking ahead to the new school year, our ESA Makerspace program plans to give kids the opportunity to explore basic woodworking and hand tools, develop 3D-printing skills, and challenge them to create a mega marble run.
Makerspace programs like ours give students the opportunity to learn by doing, encouraging them to think creatively, solve real-world problems, and turn ideas into reality. Through hands-on projects that combine science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM), students build critical thinking, teamwork, communication, and resilience as they test ideas, overcome challenges, and learn from mistakes. Beyond developing technical skills, Makerspaces help spark curiosity, build confidence, and inspire innovation—preparing young people with the creativity and adaptability they’ll need to succeed in future careers and an ever-changing world.
