RAFT Blog, News, and Events

Featured Articles and News

DreamBox Impact Series: Milpitas Unified School District

April 1, 2025

Engaging EL and SPED Learners Through Hands-On STEAM For the past two summers, RAFT has partnered with Milpitas Unified School District to bring hands-on STEAM learning to the district’s Extended School Year (ESY) summer program. This past summer, 230 fourth- through sixth-grade Special Education (SPED) and English Learner (EL) students became environmental engineers-designing water filtration…

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Bringing Stories to Life: RAFT’s Intersession Program at Northwood Elementary

March 18, 2025

This winter, Northwood Elementary students in Berryessa School District embarked on a creative journey through RAFT’s three-day Intersession program. Designed to spark imagination and hands-on learning, the program engaged 66 students in grades K-5 in the art of puppet-making, storytelling, and performance, culminating in a special showcase for families. Student-made marionette puppets displayed with crafting…

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DreamBox Impact Series: Oak Grove School District

February 27, 2025

Empowering Newcomers Through Hands-On STEAM Learning In Summer 2024, students at Oak Grove School District‘s Newcomer Summer Academy embarked on an innovative hands-on STEAM adventure. Through RAFT’s creative reuse materials and engaging activity kits, 75 students explored the mysteries of space while strengthening their English language skills, guided by 3 dedicated teachers. Hands-on learning is…

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Sparking Curiosity through Hands-On Learning with Jeffrey and Maureen Fox

February 26, 2025

For over 30 years, RAFT has provided resources and support to local educators and students. RAFT’s commitment to hands-on learning for STEAM subjects has evolved to include activities such as STEAM Project Kits, as well as programs like our Makerspace and Maker Mobile activities, and most recently a STEAM Dream Summer Camp for students around…

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Jumpstart Hands-on Learning with RAFT’s Makerspace In-A-Box

Aug 18, 2016 | Comments Off on Jumpstart Hands-on Learning with RAFT’s Makerspace In-A-Box

RAFT’s new product help educators become acquainted with Makerspaces quickly and easily SAN JOSE, CALIF. – August 16, 2016 – RAFT – Resource Area For Teaching, the leading source to aid educators in the transformation of a child’s learning experience through hands-on education, announces…

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RAFT Back to School Event 2016

Jul 29, 2016 | Comments Off on RAFT Back to School Event 2016

RAFT Back to School Begins Saturday, August 6th, 3 weekends of specials! RAFT’s Back to School event, our signature member event, will be bigger and better than ever.  We’ve listened – the event won’t be just a single weekend which might not fit with your…

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RAFT Announces New Products and Services for Maker Education

Jul 26, 2016 | Comments Off on RAFT Announces New Products and Services for Maker Education

RAFT now offers consulting, professional learning, and supplies for makerspaces San Jose, CA (PRWEB)July 26, 2016 RAFT announces a range of products and services which provide educators with professional learning and coaching, robust design-based curriculum, and upcycled materials to engage students in creative exploration…

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RAFT Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

Jul 7, 2016 | Comments Off on RAFT Earns Coveted 4-Star Rating from Charity Navigator

Receiving four out of a possible four stars means RAFT supporters can be assured that their organization is worthy of trust and commitment.   Resource Area for Teaching’s (RAFT) strong financial health and commitment to accountability and transparency, has once again earned a 4-star…

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Putting the E in STEAM

Jun 30, 2016 |

By Amanda Amburgey M.A, Maker Science Teacher, Bulldog Tech  What is going on in this classroom? There are kids everywhere excitedly making, testing, remaking, retesting, hot gluing, hammering, there is so much duct tape!  This is what engineering looks like in a middle school…

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RAFT Helps Educators Prevent Summer Learning Loss with Over 700 Idea Sheets

Jun 29, 2016 | Comments Off on RAFT Helps Educators Prevent Summer Learning Loss with Over 700 Idea Sheets

RAFT provides educators with engaging and affordable learning activities for summer. On average, students lose two months of academic skills over the summer, and studies show that teachers spend large amounts of time re-teaching material once students go back to school. To curb this…

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