White House Maker Faire is a great step foward

The White House Maker Faire last month was a very successful public relations event for the Maker movement. The value will be seen in the coming months and even years as the fuel this event has provided trickles into various programing. Some of the most important exposure has been for the education sector that is now now in the limelight to implement the promise of a brighter future this technology and project-based learning can provide. The highlights of the Faire for me are the long list of great programs that were given center stage. Such as, the Maker Vista Project which brings the Maker Ed Initiative to high poverty urban and rural areas, and the Career and Technical Education Makeover Challenge from the Department of Education, which states and local educational agencies can compete to receive upgrade of their CTE facilities. Also important are the shifts in the political sphere that will allow for change to happen for young people, one of the President’s initiatives to keep an eye on is the Mayor’s Maker Challenge which is collaborative effort to promote an environment for Maker activities and new manufacturing innovation.