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…

2021 Fall Event & Sale

Sep 15, 2021 | Comments Off

Join us at RAFT on Saturday, October 2, 9-4 pm for our outdoor, parking lot Fall Event & Sale that includes a full day of free and fun, hands-on STEAM learning activities for all K-12 children. We’ll be featuring our best-sellers like our hands-on…

Teacher Training at Luther Burbank School District

Aug 23, 2021 | Comments Off

On Monday, August 16, 2021, RAFT helped the Luther Burbank School District kick off the 2021-22 school year with a professional development session focusing on materials and makerspace teaching. This session is the first of many more engagements planned between the school and RAFT.…

Paying Tribute to Nigel Ball

Aug 6, 2021 | Comments Off

The RAFT family is sad to share the passing of our current board member and longtime friend and supporter, Nigel Ball. “During the many years that I had the joy of knowing Nigel, I found him to be a kindred spirit. He shared my…

Ramp It Up Event with RAFT’s Maker Mobile

Jul 29, 2021 | Comments Off

The RAFT Maker Mobile, sponsored by The Sharks Foundation and Western Digital, rolled onto the Milpitas School District campus on a cool July morning. About 50 summer school students joined RAFT’s Education facilitators, Qi Diaz, Mikey Ramot, and Mike Pollock for the Ramp It…

Have You Used Our Laser Engraver?

Jul 26, 2021 | Comments Off

Our laser engraver is available for use by approved RAFT members from Wednesdays through Fridays. Approved members are those that have taken the RAFT introductory laser workshop. We understand that it may have been a while since you last used a laser engraver, so if you…

RAFT Delivers 3 New STEAM Kits to Walden West

Jun 21, 2021 | Comments Off

Two weeks ago, the Walden West Team was able to play with three new STEAM Project Kits: The Electric-wind Generator, Bread Bag Parachute, The Articulated Leg. Each person was able to design, prototype and test their designs in preparation for their summer camps. Over 300…