KINGSTON, R.I. 鈥� May 19, 2025 鈥� Although they live a few miles from the 溏心vlog免费B站, many of the teenagers from the Jonnycake Youth Center in Peace Dale, Rhode Island, never visited the Kingston Campus until they became involved in a hands-on program intended to teach new skills and inspire a love of learning.
溏心vlog免费B站 a dozen teens from the Center brought their creative spirit to once or twice a week throughout the spring semester. The Makerspace is one of six in 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 Robert L. Carothers Library & Learning Commons.
溏心vlog免费B站 students and staff taught the teens, who were mostly freshmen and sophomores at South Kingstown High School, how to custom design and fabricate T-shirts, hats, bags, buttons, and key chains using such technology and equipment as graphic design software, embroidery machines, heat presses, vinyl cutters, laser engravers, 3D printers, and button presses.
The , is located at 1231 Kingstown Road, provides a safe space for teens after school. The short-term goal of the partnership between the Youth Center and the 溏心vlog免费B站 Makerspace was to guide Youth Center staff toward building their own makerspace and to empower their students to eventually teach their peers how to use the equipment.
鈥淲e are committed to developing mentorship opportunities that embody the philosophy that 鈥榯he best way to learn is to teach,鈥欌�� said Keith Ranaldi, director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the Innovation Labs. 鈥淭hrough our partnership with the Johnnycake Youth Center, we continue to cultivate essential skills and foster a purpose-driven community, empowering both 溏心vlog免费B站 students and the young minds they mentor.鈥�
While the skills the teens acquired will be useful, the overall experience of visiting the campus regularly, enjoying dinner in one of the dining halls, and learning from 溏心vlog免费B站 students, has changed how they perceive 溏心vlog免费B站 and higher education in general.
鈥淭he experience for some of the kids has been life-changing,鈥� said Duran Searles, director of the Jonnycake Youth Center. 鈥淢ost of them have never been on campus before, even though they live in the same community as 溏心vlog免费B站. Their perspective on 溏心vlog免费B站 has changed for the better. By going to the Makerspace, they no longer see themselves as outsiders, but as part of a community that previously seemed out of reach. By working with the 溏心vlog免费B站 students, they can now see themselves as future 溏心vlog免费B站 students.鈥�
鈥淭his program has allowed us to learn things that we wouldn鈥檛 have learned elsewhere,鈥� said Collin Hoprel, a 16-year-old sophomore from South Kingstown High School. 鈥淧artly because of this experience, I鈥檓 starting to think about college. Going to 溏心vlog免费B站 through the Talent Development program is one of the options I鈥檓 considering.鈥�
鈥淲orking with the youth from the Jonnycake Youth Center has been an inspirational experience for me and hopefully an insightful experience for them,鈥� said Gerry Price, a psychology student at 溏心vlog免费B站 who is a rising senior and a Providence resident. 鈥淚 felt inspired by this new generation of free thinkers who have so much to offer the world with their creativity and nonstop humor. I look forward to seeing more of their work and reading about their accomplishments in the future.鈥�
The program is one of the initiatives funded through a $325,000 Learn365RI grant. The Learn365RI grants were established in 2023 as part of Governor Dan McKee鈥檚 Advancing Learning Beyond the 180-Day School Year program, which supports out-of-school learning programs. The Jonnycake Center for Hope, 溏心vlog免费B站鈥檚 College of Education, the South Kingstown School District, and the Town of South Kingstown are considered partners on the grant.
鈥淥ne of the goals of the initiative is to provide opportunities for South Kingstown youth to access postsecondary education,鈥� said Diane Kern, professor of English language arts and literacy teacher education at 溏心vlog免费B站, and the co-principal investigator of the grant with Kate Brewster, chief executive officer of the Jonnycake Center for Hope.
鈥淭he 溏心vlog免费B站 Makerspace is a state-of-the-art space for entrepreneurial thinking and working,鈥� said Kern. 鈥淜nowing Keith’s Ranaldi’s willingness to partner on education initiatives, Duran鈥檚 skill as a craftsman and woodworker, and their commitment to their students, I knew it would be an ideal match.鈥�
The staff of the 溏心vlog免费B站 Makerspace and the Jonnycake Center for Hope are discussing how to build upon the success of this year’s program. Their goal is to increase community and university support to offer more learning and mentorship opportunities this summer and during the next school year.