reDiscover is thrilled to launch our new GoFundMe Campaign, to bring Tinkering Tool Kits and scholarships for our online classes into the hands and hearts of low-income youth in our communities. Educational resources like the Tinkering Tool Kit belong in the hands of every child. We are working with school districts and our network of...
Author: Jonathan Bijur
Getting Started with Creative Reuse Materials
Lets dig in our recycling bin! “Oo, there’s a bunch of bottle lids in here, grab those.” “Oh, and that cereal box is good”. “I bet we can make a car.” “No, I want to make a rocket.” “These twist ties will make great arms for my cork person.” “I can’t wait to get making.”...
Meet the Facilitators – Nico Palermo
Perhaps reDiscover's most sought after Facilitator, Nico builds instant rapport with tinkerers with his infectious enthusiasm, goofy humor, and authentic interest in every child he works with. Nico started with reDiscover as a high school intern in the earliest days of Tinkering Camp and has continued through college and beyond, now serving on our year-round...
Meet the Facilitators: Hanabee Cartagena
Hanabee Cartagena is an experienced maker. Graduating from the Communication Arts program with a minor in Community Arts Engagement at Otis College, she has been facilitating programs at reDiscover Center since 2018 from Intern to Lead Facilitator. Apart from creating tactile works, she values process as much as the product, recording her maker skills to...
The Tools We Use
reDiscover has 10+ years experience putting powerful tools in the hands of kids ages 7-12. We've tried out countless hand and power tools for cutting, joining, and finishing materials for maker projects. Our criteria for a recommended tool are: Is it safe? Is this tool well built, stable, solid, unlikely to be damaged, dulled, or...
Meet the Facilitators – Orr Herz
Orr Herz is an exhibiting artist who works in a variety of media, from acrylics to ceramics to welding. He's also one of reDiscover's Lead Facilitators, leading camps and classes at reDiscover Center and throughout Los Angeles. Orr is reDiscover's Coordinator for Pasadena-area programming, including our partnership with Los Feliz Charter School for the Arts...
Tinkering is for Middle Schoolers, too
15 years ago, reDiscover was founded to serve preschool and early elementary classrooms with creative reuse materials. 10 years ago, we added Tinkering programs to engage upper elementary kids using those same materials, plus power tools. 4 years ago, we started prototyping programs for middle schoolers, starting with camps for advanced tinkerers. Tinkering is play....
Meet the Facilitators: Emma Ramey
Facilitator Emma Ramey teaches in reDiscover's after school, camp, and festival programs and assists with building operations and client relations. A great all-rounder, Emma can organize activities for a room full of kids at a birthday party, work patiently one-on-one with a tinkerer, schedule and organize events and create digital media for advertising. A graduate...
Teacher Resources
reDiscover provides professional development and support to PreK-12 teachers to integrate making, tinkering, and creative reuse materials into classroom activities, across the curriculum. This page provides a selection of resources from our professional development workshops. From Maker to STEM Activity Analysis Worksheet- for teachers with existing maker activities who seek to add STEM content...
15th Anniversary Fundraiser – October 20, 2019
Celebrate reDiscover's 15th anniversary! Come to reDiscover's Fall Fundraiser for your own chance to get your hands on real tools and real materials, plus enjoy a wine and cheese reception. Use a drill. Try out the chop saw (closely supervised!). Make your own wood scrap sculpture. Give to support reDiscover's scholarship programs and community outreach....