Spark

MESA is an after school program which helps underserved and underrepresented middle and high school students excel in STEM learning education. Connected Lane County hosted one of four Oregon's MESA Demo Day's across the state at Spark at Booth-Kelly on Friday, March 14. Read the full article today! Shaping a Sustainable Future: Oregon MESA’s ‘Demo Day’ Student Showcase

When Willamalane sought a meaningful way to honor the legacy of Dorris Ranch, it turned to a trusted community partner: Connected Lane County’s Agency. The result? A unique collaboration that not only preserved history but also invested in the future of Springfield’s youth. Q: What made you want to work with the Agency? Eric Adams, Planning, Parks & Facilities Director at Willamalane: “Among Willamalane’s values are a commitment to fostering belonging and innovation through t

Connected Lane County provides CTE initiatives outside of public schools at its locations, Spark at Booth-Kelly in Springfield and Spark on 7th in Eugene. 3D printers, sewing machines, and laser engravers are just some of the tools used to provide hands-on learning opportunities. To learn more and hear directly from our program staff, check out the article linked below! The Chronicle: CTE – Education at Work, Part 4: The student experience

When the Eugene Family YMCA moved to its new location, it faced a challenge: what to do with the materials left behind? Instead of sending them to the landfill, the Y embraced sustainability by salvaging thousands of pounds of materials—including old vinyl. Rather than letting those nondegradable banners go to waste, they found a creative way to give them new life while investing in the next generation of workers by partnering with Connected Lane County’s Agency. The Agency l

Connected Lane County will expand its Invention Club to middle schools across the County. Invention Club is a STEM-based learning program in collaboration with Oregon MESA that culminates in a MESA showcase. Check it out in the news! Portland State University: Oregon MESA Expands with Two New Regional Centers in Washington County and Lane County by University Communications Cottage Grove Sentential: $5,000 for local STEM program by Jeremy C. Ruark Cottage Grove Sentinel 16KMT

Connected Lane County received $5,000 in grant money from the Pacific Power Foundation to expand Invention Club, a STEM-based learning experience, into Lincoln Middle School in Cottage Grove. To learn more about the story, check out the KMTR news coverage below! "STEM opportunities coming to Cottage Grove School thanks to $5K grant" by Dannie Condon.

Julio is a rising senior at Springfield High School who has been involved with Connected Lane County for over two years. He started with Invention Club, an after-school program, in the spring of 2022, and that experience led him to participate in the summer cohort of Invention Lab. After completion of Invention Lab, Julio was invited to join the Agency, an after-school paid work program where youth complete small manufacturing projects for local businesses. Justin, our Assoc

The Agency worked with Endless Mileage to create new tree tags that display athletes' finishing times. The Endless Mileage is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to fostering sustainable environments and programming that inspires the next generation of track and field athletes to break barriers. Read more!

Mars’ pronouns: Any Meet our STEM Superstar, Mars! While enrolled in the Migrant Education Oregon program at Hamlin Middle School, Mars learned about Connected Lane County’s BIPOC STEM program, Invention Club. Mars participated in 2021, and using limited materials, her team created a catapult to launch an item into a target. Mars’ group won first place that year at MESA Day! After Invention Club, Mars learned about Invention Lab and was excited to have something to do to earn

Introduction to Spark Minh and Thu bring so much creative energy to Spark programming. The twin sisters joined the after-school Invention Club at Spark on 7th in the fall of 2021, learning various machines and workflows and expanding their STEM skills. STEM Involvement At MESA Day, the end-of-year statewide STEM competition held at Portland State University, Minh and Thu’s catapult design took second place in the main design challenge. They then participated in Invention Lab’

Parker's Journey at Spark on 7th Meet Parker, a talented young entrepreneur! His journey from high school to the inception of his clothing line, Honyx LLC, is nothing short of inspiring. Parker's introduction to the world of manufacturing technology came during his senior year at Willamette High School. It was then that he discovered the exciting realms of digital design, 3D printing, and vinyl cutting. Once he dipped his toes into these creative waters, there was no turning

Our Invention Lab is more than a summer program – it's a transformative experience that empowers high school youth to stretch the boundaries of technology and creativity.