Sparking Curiosity through Hands-On Learning with Jeffrey and Maureen Fox
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 the Bay Area.
However, RAFT wouldn’t be able to meet the changing needs of our students and educators without the support of our community. With the recent launch of an endowment fund, RAFT has established a mechanism for donors like Jeffrey and Maureen Fox to create a named fund, which will help RAFT continue to create resources not only to serve students today but in perpetuity.
Jeffrey Fox, a RAFT volunteer Kit Engineer since 2017 and RAFT’s 2023 Volunteer of the Year, understands the importance of having access to these resources and materials with which to tinker and explore. He shared that while he was growing up in Brooklyn, he “used a RAFT-like hands on learning approach to understand how technology works by disassembling and experimenting with household devices." This tinkering turned into a lifelong passion as Jeffrey became an electronics engineer and MIT research fellow with a distinguished career in the tech industry for over 40 years.
Maureen Fox worked in in criminal appellate law and shares Jeffrey’s passion for giving back to the community by volunteering in immigration law. The couple is adamant about how access to education was key to their successes, but gaps still exist, especially in students’ understanding of STEAM subjects. For example, even though she has excelled in her career and given back to her community, Maureen has said she wished there was a RAFT for her growing up so she would have felt supported exploring more STEM subjects.
According to a study by the University of Chicago, students who engage with physical experiences better understand scientific concepts. Unfortunately, elementary teachers in grades K-6 report spending an average of 23 minutes per week on scientific instruction. Incorporating these hands-on experiences into the classroom can undoubtedly help students, but they also cost money. RAFT’s members report spending an average of $500 a year out of their own pockets to supply their classrooms, but donors like the Foxes are helping close this gap for educators and help them inspire curiosity within their students.
The Foxes established the Jeffrey and Maureen Fox Charitable Fund to help spark that love of learning and exploring early on in a student’s career through RAFT’s programs, including the STEAM Dream Camp. As a volunteer, Jeffrey has supported the development of curricula and activities for the Camp that has served over 2,000 students since first launching in 2021. Jeffrey saw firsthand how many students returned to the camps year after year and shared their enthusiasm for STEAM and their desire to pursue further education in STEAM and potential careers.
Jeffrey and Maureen are advocates for pursuing a college education, and they believe hands-on learning is key for introducing students to these STEAM concepts at an early age. Jeffrey shared, “RAFT is not only introducing students to science and STEAM, but [RAFT] is teaching students how to be self-starters and to study effectively, which can improve their chances to lead productive and impactful lives. That’s the strength of RAFT powered by the staff and volunteers.”
In addition to the launch of the STEAM Dream Camp, Jeffrey has also been at the forefront of RAFT’s pursuit to help educators introduce students to more digital and high tech concepts through engaging hands-on activities. As a Kit Engineer, Jeffrey has worked with RAFT’s Making Wizard Engineer, Mike Pollock, develop the Wind-O-Meter and the Electric Wind Generator. Most recently, Jeffrey has been experimenting with the BBC micro:bit computer to introduce students to coding and computing concepts through hands-on activities. By making these activities available at district STEAM Showcases and with partners like Boys and Girls Club, Jeffrey has been a key figure in RAFT’s goal to bring computer science and engineering to more students and their families to ensure all students have access to these tools and resources.
Inspired by the students and educators they have seen benefit from RAFT's resources, Jeffrey and Maureen felt the time was right to make a lasting impact for their local education community. By contributing to RAFT's endowment fund, Jeffrey and Maureen are ensuring students will have access to innovative activities and programs, like the ones Jeffrey has been supporting through his volunteering. They believe an endowment fund is “truly the gift that keeps on giving” to allow RAFT to meet the changing needs of the education community. Jeffrey and Maureen Fox are ensuring educators have the resources they need to help students engage with the subjects that interest them most and continue that exploration through their studies and careers.
To learn more about RAFT's Endowment fund, contact Kate Ball, Development Director, at kball@raft.net.