RAFT Blog, News, and Events

RAFT’s AI Chatbot: A Smarter Way to Support Hands-On Learning

March 4, 2026

At RAFT, we’re always exploring new ways to help educators bring hands-on STEAM learning into the classroom. With support from the Cisco Foundation, RAFT launched an AI-enabled chatbot designed to help teachers confidently implement STEAM lessons and provide more personalized learning support for students. This tool acts like a digital teaching assistant, helping educators adapt…

A Legacy of Learning: The Guidry Foundation and RAFT’s Endowment Fund

January 26, 2026

For over three decades, RAFT has been fortunate to be supported by partners who believe deeply in the power of hands-on learning. Among them is The Mark & Carolyn Guidry Foundation, longtime champions of education, creativity, and opportunity for all students. Founded in 1994, the Guidry Foundation was established by Mark and Carolyn Guidry to…

Annual Fundraiser Recap: RAFT to the Future of STEAM Education

September 25, 2025

On Wednesday, September 17, 2025, RAFT hosted its annual fundraising event: RAFT to the Future. Over 130 supporters were present at RAFT, which was transformed into a beautiful space for the special event for the night. That evening, we honored the individuals and organizations that have made a profound impact on RAFT and the education…

STEAM Dream Summer Camp 2025: A Season of Innovation, Discovery, and Fun

August 19, 2025

This August marks the exciting wrap-up of RAFT’s 2025 STEAM Dream Summer Camp and DreamBox season-our biggest yet! Over the course of eight action-packed weeks, we delivered more than 180 hours of hands-on STEAM programming, engaging TK-8 students from across the Bay Area in engineering challenges, storytelling adventures, and STEAM experimentation. With programs running across…

From Screens to Hands-on STEAM

Feb 28, 2024 | Comments Off

In the wake of a global pandemic that required students to do much of their learning from home in front of a screen, hands-on experiences that spark joy and discovery are more relevant-and needed-than ever. Long before 2020, however, RAFT (Resource Area for Teaching)…

RAFT Puts “Science in Motion” and Launches Course on Infosys Foundation USA’s Pathfinders Online Institute

Feb 7, 2024 | Comments Off

Thanks to a generous donation from the Infosys Foundation USA, RAFT has launched our Science in Motion course on the Pathfinders Online Institute. RAFT’s Science in Motion course explores 10 of our STEAM Project Kits to better understand the concept of motion. Each lesson…

Watch out 2024! RAFT’s Education Team Leadership is expanding with 2 exciting additions

Nov 10, 2023 | Comments Off

If you’ve heard of RAFT before, odds are it’s been in connection with our STEAM Dream Camp or Maker Mobile programming, both of which have been favorites among the SF Bay Area’s student and educator community alike. This year, we’ve seen enormous success in…

A Magical Night to Remember

Sep 25, 2023 | Comments Off

On Wednesday, September 20, 2023, RAFT hosted its annual fundraising event: The Magical Maker Mobile. Over 140 supporters were present at RAFT, which was transformed into a beautiful space for the special event that evening. That evening, we honored the individuals and organizations that…

RAFT Hall of Fame | Class of 2023

Sep 25, 2023 | Comments Off

Congratulations to our 2023 STEAM Teachers of the Year, RAFT Heroes, RAFT Volunteer Awardees, and RAFT Partners of the Year! Thank you for all you do for our educators, students, our community, and RAFT! STEAM Teachers of the Year Michele Huesties STEAM Teacher, Sierramont…

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

Sep 5, 2023 | Comments Off

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.