RAFT Blog, News, and Events

RAFT is Bay Area Parent’s Best of the Best (Again!)

September 5, 2023

RAFT is pleased to have been selected as a Bay Area Parent Magazine 2023 Best of the Best Tutoring or Education Support Program. This is the fourth consecutive year RAFT has finished at the top of the list thanks to our comprehensive in-person and online educational offerings, including STEAM Project Kits, Maker Mobile van visits, makerspace builds, tailored educator workshops and more.

From Camper to Camp Counselor: Yiesha R.’s STEAM Dream Story

May 24, 2023

For brand new campers, the first day of camp is filled with curiosity, a few stomach butterflies and a ton of anticipation for the exciting adventures to come. But what about the first day of camp for a new camp counselor? And what if that camp counselor used to be a camper herself? We caught…

RAFT STEAM Teachers of the Year 2022

May 31, 2022

Congratulations to our 2022 STEAM Teachers of the Year! RAFT’s STEAM Teacher of the Year Awards recognize outstanding pre-K-12 teachers in the Bay Area who incorporate effective hands-on learning and/or maker education into their curriculum. Each awardee demonstrates excellence in teaching in at least one of the following areas: Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, or Math. RAFT…

Happy International Day of Education from RAFT!

January 24, 2022

Today the world celebrates International Day of Education! Not only do we recognize the contributions of teachers, the personal development of students, and the hard work of everyone in the education field, but we also take today to recognize the role of education for the world. Education can unlock every individual’s potential and pave the…

Harvesting an Orchard of Innovative Makers! Orchard School District Teachers share 1st year RAFT Makerspace Experiences

Jun 22, 2017 |

Written by Peter Holley, Middle School Orchard teacher and this year’s Makerspace Cohort Lead Teacher The maker space at Orchard School came into being this year with a community build in October. Although our space is small, it is well put together and well…

RAFT Honors 25 Robert Brownlee 2017 Science Teacher of the Year Nominees

Jun 7, 2017 | Comments Off

For the 10th annual Robert Brownlee Science Teacher of the Year award, RAFT honored all 25 nominees at its Member Appreciation Party on June 3. This year’s nominees have a combined total of 285 years of teaching experience. RAFT applauds their dedication to bringing…

SuiteWorld17 Volunteers Prepare Hands-on STEM Learning Materials for 44,000 Students

Jun 1, 2017 | Comments Off

Exponential impact in Silicon Valley can be best demonstrated by when non-profit and for-profit organizations work together. Building on SuiteWorld17’s theme of “Next Starts Now,” Resource Area For Teaching (RAFT) and Oracle + NetSuite collaborated on a volunteer activity that benefits the next generation…

May 24, 2017 |

Are You Burned Out? – What To Do Now By Myesha Mebane, Science Department Chair at Martin Luther King Jr. Junior High School It’s May and you may be experiencing “Burn Out”, what do you do now? It is too late to consider what…

STUDENT IMPACT STUDY

May 10, 2017 |

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.0.106″ background_layout=”light”] RAFT Hands-on Learning Model Promotes Achievement in Bay Area Schools Independent Research Study Shows that RAFT Hands-on Learning Activities Engage Students and Improve Academic Performance Rockman Et Al, a respected education research firm, has just concluded a study demonstrating…

CASE FOR HANDS-ON LEARNING

May 9, 2017 |

Bridging the Engagement Gap with Hands-On Teaching Overview The ongoing debate over the achievement gap in American schools has largely overlooked its underlying cause: the engagement gap. Somewhere between kindergarten and the senior year of high school, many students lose their natural love of…