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…

Light Up Your Holidays with a STEAM Kit!

Dec 1, 2022 | Comments Off

RAFT just launched its newest STEAM Project Kit, Winter Light-Up Ornaments. It’s the perfect activity for the entire family to get into the holiday spirit and enjoy hands-on STEAM learning. The kit uses a coin cell battery and conductive cloth tape to light up…

2022 RAFT Awards

Nov 25, 2022 | Comments Off

GreatNonprofits 2022 Top-Rated Award RAFT once again made it to GreatNonprofits‘ Top-Rated List. The Top-Rated Award is a people’s choice award where volunteers, donors, supporters,and community members share stories about their experiences with a nonprofit and rates the organization out of 5 stars. Maintaining…

AmazonSmile: Shop and Support!

Nov 17, 2022 | Comments Off

Help support RAFT by shopping on Amazon! AmazonSmile allows you to support your favorite charity every time you shop. You’ll find the exact selection of items, prices, and services with the added benefit that Amazon will donate 0.5% of your eligible purchases to the…

Subscribe, Save, STEAM!

Nov 11, 2022 | Comments Off

Get regular access to affordable, sustainable, and quality STEAM kits and learning activities through RAFT’s STEAM Subscription Kits! This subscription service was launched in 2021 as a way for us to share our dedication to making STEAM learning more accessible and engaging. Individual Subscription…

RAFT – Found Engineering

Nov 3, 2022 | Comments Off

At RAFT we strongly believe that hands-on learning is crucial to a student’s development and learning. Students who are more physically engaged in the learning experience tend to have a deeper understanding with higher engagement and improved outcomes. Hands-on activities require materials that can…

Arista Funds RAFT Makerspace Build at Local Elementary School

Oct 20, 2022 | Comments Off

With its goal to provide educators with STEAM learning resources, Resource Area for Teaching (RAFT), a non-profit organization founded in 1994, organized a makerspace build for the Kathryn Hughes Elementary School in Santa Clara. RAFT believes that makerspaces are a great way to encourage…