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HomeMy WebLinkAbout10/08/2015 - City Arts Commission - 08 ExplorOcean - ATTACHMENT C1 NEWPORT BEACH CITY ARTS COMMISSION CULTURAL ARTS GRANT APPLICATION (Applications must be typed or word-processed- you may reformat on the computer as long as it appears the same: i.e. use Times New Roman 12 point and the same pagination.) ExplorOcean Popular Name of Organization 95-3867036 Legal Name (if different)Federal Tax ID No. 600 East Bay Avenue Mailing Address Newport Beach 92661 City Zip Wendy Marshall____________________________________714.916.3464________________ Contact Name Telephone 949-675-8864____________wmarshall@explorocean.org____________www.explorocean.org______ FAX e-mail Web Site Newport Beach and all regions of Orange County Geographical Area Served Have you received a City of Newport Beach Cultural Arts Grant before? _yes_ If so, when? _2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 Year organization was founded 1986 Number of paid staff _30__ # of active volunteers _30__ Total amount requested: (from request line of project budget) $ _10,000.________ Estimated number of people in Newport Beach that the proposed project(s) will serve: _10,000___ *Note:We served approximately 6,000 participants in 2014-2015, and aim to expand the program to include school breaks and holidays, thus resulting in our projected increase in participants. 2 CULTURAL ARTS GRANT APPLICATION 1.Briefly describe below your organization’s purpose, mission, and goals. ExplorOcean is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation in Newport Beach, California. Our mission is to inspire, educate, and engage the explorer within each child and develop critical 21st century skills through interactive experiences centered on the seven essential principles of ocean literacy (http://oceanliteracy.wp2.coexploration.org/), as formulated by a national assemblage of scientists, policy makers, and educators. These experiences include interactive, hands-on activities to help participants develop skills, knowledge, and an understanding of the interconnection between humans and the ocean. We aim to encourage critical thinking, spark creativity, and inspire participants to see the world from different perspectives, as artists do, across the curriculum and throughout their lives. 2.Identify and describe why there is a need in the Newport Beach Community for your proposed project/program. Include a quantitative description of the need and on what you based your findings (i.e. “Based on a study done by the PTA, there are one hundred children in the 4th-6th grades at Newport Elementary who have had no training with musical instruments.”) Describe how you have determined that your organization is the best organization for the proposed project/program. The Need for Integrating the Arts and Sciences in the Newport Beach Community Although the Newport Beach Community has excellent schools, the community is missing creative spaces stocked with materials that allow participants to integrate the arts and science to create projects of their own invention, guided by educators who understand how to encourage participants to be innovative. By partnering with ExplorOcean, the community of Newport Beach has the opportunity to be a leader in a nationally recognized initiative to integrate the arts with STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) to encourage innovation among people of all ages in the community. The Orange County Office of Education recently acknowledged that ExplorOcean is at the forefront of this initiative because our programs already integrate the arts and STEM. We draw inspiration for this connection between the arts and sciences, with a particular emphasis on connecting art and engineering/design, from the work of Marine Scientist Dr. Edith Widder, who collaborated with Dr. Steve Bernstein to create captivating art pieces focused on bioluminescent fish. Dr. Widder took photographs from locations around the world, and Dr. Bernstein altered them by accentuating their colors and shapes and then printed them on aluminum via giclee dye sublimation. The result was eye-catching, imagination-provoking artwork, examples of which we now proudly display at ExplorOcean. The benefit of connecting the arts and sciences is that people who may be interested in art, but not science, are invited into a new world as the art draws them in and triggers curiosity and the science helps them understand and answer their own questions. Conversely, folks who are interested in science may already have an understanding of and interest in the content, but seeing nature presented so beautifully and powerfully may trigger an interest in art that they had not previously recognized. How the Integration of the Arts and Sciences Can Stimulate Innovation Educators and business leaders agree that STEM skills are vital in the 21st century workplace. According to the STEM Education Coalition (http://www.stemedcoalition.org/), “Our nation’s future 3 economic prosperity is closely linked with participant success in the STEM fields.” However, today’s workplace also requires the ability to creatively solve problems, to communicate, and to work cooperatively. Educations have increasingly recognized the value of integrating art and design into STEM education to add innovation to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics instruction, thus transforming STEM to STEAM (A = Arts). According to Americans for the Arts (www.americansforthearts.org), arts education “…stimulates and develops the imagination and critical thinking, and refines cognitive and creative skills…Strengthens problem-solving and critical-thinking skills…Teaches children life skills such as developing an informed perception; articulating a vision; learning to solve problems and make decisions; building self-confidence and self-discipline; developing the ability to imagine what might be; and accepting responsibility to complete tasks from start to finish…” Further, the STEM TO STEAM website (stemtosteam.org) cites case studies at such diverse education sites as the California College of the Arts (San Francisco), Andover (MA) Public Schools, Rhode Island School of Design, the Blue School in New York City, and even Sesame Street. These educators have seen results that promise to transform our economy in the 21st century. Scientific American magazine (August 2012) cites examples of STEAM integration, including the invention of camouflage for soldiers by a painter, the invention of the pacemaker based on a musical metronome, the creation of medical stents inspired by Japanese origami, and the combination of artistic design and functional technology that has resulted in creative technology products from Apple Computing. Why ExplorOcean Is the Best Organization for Integrating the Arts and Sciences ExplorOcean is the best organization to integrate the arts and sciences in the Newport Beach community because we have already done so by successfully partnering with Newport Elementary School. In 2013, ExplorOcean provided creative space, materials, and guidance free of charge to 75 sixth graders to encourage invention that incorporates STEAM skills. The program was so successful that the school’s principal created a lab at a vacant storefront near the school, and together we expanded the program in 2014 for 135 sixth graders. In addition, ExplorOcean offers many ocean- themed, arts-and-sciences integrated programs on our site and in the field that stimulate community participants of all ages to create their own inventions. With the support of the City of Newport Beach Cultural Arts Grant ExplorOcean reached approximately 6500 community members in 2015-2016 with this program. 3. Describe the specific project/program that will be funded by a cultural grant. Include how the proposed project/program will be implemented and outline a schedule or project timeline, with planned dates and locations. Identify individuals and groups involved, particularly artists and performers, and describe their roles and responsibilities. Describe the background and qualifications of your organization and key personnel to be involved in the program. Remember: the City funds only projects and programs- not operating expenses. These projects and programs must promote community involvement and awareness of the arts in Newport Beach. Is this a new_____ or existing __x_ _ project/program? Maker Workshop Description ExplorOcean’s Maker Workshop is a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics)-based program for members of the Newport Beach community, including local youth from ages 8–18. The program provides participants with ocean-themed, guided activities and open- 4 ended projects that develop critical 21st Century Skills, foster problem-solving and creative thinking, and increase interest and confidence in the STEAM areas. This program breaks new ground in the arts by combining art with robotics. The Maker Workshop is a series of hands-on projects that teach participants how to use new tools, apply artistic perspectives, and create their own inventions. Participants learn how to solder to connect metals, build and program robots, construct circuits, build a catapult, and work with lights and motors. They learn how to design their invention so it is visually appealing as well as functional. During the workshop sessions, participants use their imaginations, problem-solving skills, and critical-thinking skills. They develop self-confidence as they complete each task. As participants use STEAM skills to produce a creative invention of their own design, they will be amazed at what they themselves can create! President Obama recognized the importance of helping Americans bring their ideas to life by declaring June 18, 2014, the National Day of Making to encourage invention in communities throughout America. He wrote: “Because science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) are essential to invention, we launched a decade-long national effort to train 100,000 excellent STEM teachers.” and “Today, let us continue on the path of discovery, experimentation, and innovation that has been the hallmark not only of human progress, but also of our Nation’s progress.”(http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2014/06/17/presidential-proclamation- national-day-making-2014) Program Implemention Each week, ExplorOcean provides free activities to the public as part of our Science Saturday program. These activities center on a different ocean principle each month, encouraging the public to make monthly visits. Each of the six ocean principles is repeated twice a year. These principles and a description of some related projects are listed below. As part of Science Saturday, the public is invited to the Maker Workshop where participants create projects that relate to the monthly ocean principle. Additionally, we would like to expand this program and offer it during school breaks and holidays. 1.The Earth has one big ocean with many features. Projects include models and artwork that highlight the unique features of our blue planet, with an emphasis on the ocean floor, water as a precious resource, and our local watershed. 2.The ocean and life in the ocean shape the features of Earth. Projects and models focus on rocks, erosion, land formations, and tectonic activity. 3.The ocean is a major influence on weather and climate. Projects and models focus on the water cycle and extreme weather. 4.The ocean makes Earth habitable. Projects and models focus on plants and the connection between humans and plant life. 5.The ocean supports a great diversity of life and ecosystems. Projects focus on highlighting the diverse characteristics of ocean creatures, including camouflage, bioluminescence, and symbiotic relationships. 6.The ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.Projects and models highlight our ocean connection from recreation, inspiration, commerce, and 5 transportation to foods, medicine, and other gifts of the sea. We also focus on environmental issues and how we can protect this precious resource. During all of our projects, we emphasize the seventh ocean principle, that the ocean is largely unexplored. We also highlight the habits of mind that participants will develop as they participate in integrated arts/sciences projects and how those relate to being an explorer. Through our free-to-the-public Maker Workshop program, we hope to connect participants with new knowledge about the arts and their own abilities to imagine and create, while simultaneously gaining an understanding of the ocean and related sciences. A grant from the City of Newport Beach Art Commission will make it possible for ExplorOcean to expand the Saturday Maker Workshop to include holiday and school breaks, thus reaching an estimated 10,000 participants throughout the year. Key Personnel The Maker Workshop was designed by Dr. Wendy Marshall, ExplorOcean’s Director of Education, who has worked in the field of educational research and evaluation for more than 17 years. Prior to joining ExplorOcean, she served as Educational Program Designer for the University of Southern California as well as an educational consultant for California schools, districts, and county offices of education, resulting in an extensive background in both formal and informal education. Dr. Marshall received her doctorate from the University of Southern California, TEMS (Teacher Education Multicultural Societies). ExplorOcean Educators Glenn Childers and Aisha Lozada are integral to the maker program. These staff members are both art majors and support our Maker programs with their leadership and ability to foster and develop creativity. 4.Define or describe the segment of the population in Newport Beach that you intend to serve by your project/program. Include such things as age, location, numbers served, etc. ExplorOcean’s Saturday Maker Workshop will serve members of the Newport Beach community, including local youth from ages 8–18. By offering this workshop on 50 Saturdays during the year to 50–150 participants each week, we can inspire approximately 6,500 community members (based on our 2014-2015 experience) to use STEAM skills and creativity to produce their own inventions. By including specific school breaks and holidays, we estimate that we will reach, at a minimum, another 3,500 participants. The location of the Maker Workshop is the ExplorOcean site on Balboa Pier at 600 East Bay Avenue, Newport Beach. 5.Complete the project budget form. Address only the budget for the specific project, not your annual operating budget. For multi-project proposals, please duplicate and fill out a budget for each project. Please annotate the budget at the bottom if there are details (such as a breakdown of personnel or a marketing budget) critical to the proposal. The following budget reflects the cost of the program based on 50 three-hour workshops throughout the year, with 100–150 (average 125) participants each week, for a total of approximately 6500+/- served across the year. ExplorOcean would like to expand the program to include 1-2 daysopportunities per week during school breaks and holidays- approximately 28 total with an average 6 participation of 125 per session – or an additional 3500 participants. We are requesting support for the materials associated with the program, as existing funding will cover the other costs. Thus, 100% of the funding provided through the Cultural Arts Grant will directly support the individuals who participate in the Maker Workshop program. PROJECT BUDGET Funding from the City of Newport Beach Funding from Other Sources EXPENSES-Personnel Artistic $2000 Administrative $1000 Technical Production $600 EXPENSES-Operating Facility Expense/Space Rental $12,800 Marketing $600 Production/Exhibition Expense $1,000 Touring/Presentation Expense N/A Educational Materials $10,000 $ Transportation N/A Equipment $1800 Other (if greater than 10%, annotate below) Totals $10,000 $19,800 PROJECT GRAND TOTAL $29,800 6. Describe the expected quantifiable outcomes of your project/program and how you will evaluate the results. Be very specific in addressing the ways that you will determine that your project/program met the needs that you identified and accomplishes the goals you set out to achieve (i.e. you provide 50 hours of musical instruction and instruments to the 100 children at Newport Elementary school as measured by music store rental receipts and logs of instructors.) During the 2015–2016 grant period, Maker Workshop will accomplish the following: Involve 100–150 participants of all ages, in each Saturday Maker Workshop for 50 Saturdays during the year and 28 days during school breaks and holidays. Evaluation: Our staff will record the names and number of participants at each workshop session. Increase community awareness of STEAM instruction by advertising the Saturday Maker Workshop on the ExplorOcean website, at our Ocean Literacy Center in Newport Beach, and in the Newport Beach Public Schools. Evaluation: Our advertisements will serve as evidence that we have achieved this goal. 7 Enlist 1–2 community volunteers to help with each workshop session. Evaluation: Our staff will record the names and dates of volunteer helpers. Improve the use of tools, artistic perspectives, problem-solving skills, critical-thinking skills, and self-confidence of participants. Evaluation: Our staff will help participants monitor their use of these skills, and identify them using our evaluation “smile sheet”. 7. Attachments Requested Please do not send material in excess of what is requested; it will not be seen by the Arts Commission. A list of Board Members and their affiliations A recent list of individuals, corporations and foundations that provide organizational support- not to exceed one page. If you are a 501(c) (3) organization attach a copy of your IRS determination letter (or your fiscal agent’s) indicating tax exempt status. One brochure and/or one press clipping. Do not send photos, videos, CDs or any other extraneous material. It will not be presented to the Arts Commission. 8. Please complete this operating budget form for 2014/15 and 2015/16. This is not the project/program budget for which you are applying, but your overall organizational budget. You may annotate at the bottom if there are details critical to the proposal. OPERATING BUDGET 2014/15 Budget (current) 2015/16 Budget (projected) I. Income (cash only) Contributed $1,161,250 975,000 Earned $453,450 645,450 Total Income $1,614,700 1,620,450 II. Expenses Program $1,223,887 124,694 General and Administrative $325,332 273,277 Marketing and Development $207,700 97,700 Total Expenses $1,756,919 1,617,771 III. Operating Surplus/Deficit (Income minus Expenses) ($142,219)2,679 IV. Fund Balance at Beginning of Year $105,574 54,743 V. Accumulated Surplus (Deficit) (Add lines III and IV) ($36,645) 57,422 VI. In-Kind Contributions (attach schedule if greater than $0 $0 8 10% of total income) 9. I verify that the information submitted in this application is true and correct to the best of my knowledge. Name Dr. Wendy Marshall Title Director of Education Signature Date 9/22/15 ExplorOcean Board of Directors and Project Leadership Linda Mayer, Chairman of the Board Linda Mayer has been transforming organizations to improve business results for more than 25 years. With her unique ability to understand consumer behavior, she develops strategic plans to drive and meet demand. Demonstrating success in both privately and publicly held companies in consumer, industrial, and OEM products, she is passionate about helping companies and organizations succeed. Most recently, Linda was President and CEO of SCHOTT North America, a $750m division of SCHOTT AG, a German global technology company that manufactures specialty materials and glass components. Previously, Linda served as Vice President and General Manager for Global Marketing and Product Management at Genie, a $2.1 billion division of TEREX. Linda has served on several corporate boards, including MTD, a $2 billion family owned manufacturer of lawn care equipment; Connor Sport Court International, a $60 million private equity portfolio company; and Ann Sacks Tile and Stone. In addition, she has served on the board of Kids in Need, a Cleveland, Ohio-based nonprofit, and has been an active with Agros International. Timothy C. Collins, Past-Chairman of the Board A long-time resident of Newport Beach, Timothy C. Collins lends his 30 years of real estate development and finance experience to ExplorOcean. Tim oversees T.C. Collins & Associates, Inc.’s Property Management of 1.1 million square feet of multi-tenant commercial/industrial properties. He serves on the Advisory Board of Cornerstone Realty Fund, a public real estate investment fund. A former Commodore of Newport Harbor Yacht Club, Tim enjoys the ocean with his family and friends. He has been a board member for five years. Douglas M. Pasquale, Vice Chairman of the Board A resident of the Balboa Village in Newport Beach, Doug served as Chairman, President, and CEO of Nationwide Health Properties, an $8 billion REIT, from 2003 to 2011. Previously, Mr. Pasquale served as President & CEO of Atria Senior Living Group; Chairman & CEO of ARV Assisted Living, Inc.; and President & CEO of Richfield Hospitality Services, Inc. and Regal Hotel International. Doug is on the Board of Directors of Ventas, Inc.; Alexander & Baldwin, Inc.; DineEquity; Terreno Realty Corporation; and Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. Robert van Schoonenberg, Secretary -- Governance Committee Chairman A Newport Beach resident, Mr. van Schoonenberg currently serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bay Point Capital Partners, LLC and Co-Managing Partner of AmeriCap Partners, LLA. He is the Director of two publicly traded companies, Ryland Group, Inc. and Guidance Software, Inc. Bob is also an active Trustee of Southwestern University Law School. Previously, Bob served as Executive Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary to the Board of Directors of Avery Dennison Corporation. He was also Director of the University of Wisconsin Graduate School of Business Dean’s Advisory Board; Trustee of the Los Angeles Bar Association; Chari of the Bar’s Corporate Law Section; and Governor of the Institute of Corporate Counsel. Scott Calder, Assistant Treasurer – Finance Committee Scott Calder has been a resident of Newport Beach since 1975. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from University of California Berkeley and has a military career in the U.S. Army Reserve, where he has attained the rank of captain. Mr. Calder is a licensed Real Estate Broker with more than 45 years of experience in commercial Real Estate Finance. He is currently the Vice President of Pacific Southwest Realty Services. Scott also serves on the Board of Directors of California Mortgage Bankers Association and the Orange County Chapter of Lambda alpha, an honorary professional society dealing with land economics and related fields. Jim Salomon, Director – Chairman of Building & Waterfront Design Committee A resident of Newport Beach, Jim Salomon has specialized in commercial construction for more than twenty years. President of Questar Construction, Jim is an expert in building LEED certified projects, including parking structures and many commercial buildings. Jim has developed a good working relationship with the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the State of California Office of Statewide Healthcare Planning and Development, O.S.H.P.D. plan checkers, consulting engineers, and several renowned architectural firms. Dr. Craig Smith, Director --- Building & Waterfront Design Committee Newport Beach resident Dr. Craig Smith’s forty-year career has combined engineering design and construction of major projects involving advanced technologies. After beginning his career as an Assistant Professor of Engineering at UCLA, Craig left to form ANCO Engineers, Inc., a high technology R&D company that developed advance instrumentation and data acquisition systems and some of the world’s largest structural vibrators for seismic tests of high-rise buildings, dams, nuclear power plants, and other large structures. In 1992, Craig joined Daniel, Mann, Johnson, and Mendenhall (DMJM), where he was responsible to the direction and management of many large public works projects, including airport expansion, mass transit, and energy and power. He retired in 2003 as President and Chairman of DMJM-Holmes and Narver. Daniel J. Sheridan Daniel J. Sheridan was President of the Retail Division of the Irvine Co. from 2011-2014. He was also Senior Vice President, Asset Management, of General Growth Properties, Inc. (General Growth), the country’s second largest shopping center owner, manager and developer. In this capacity, Sheridan oversaw the retail properties in the company’s Southwest Region: Arizona, Hawaii, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas. This portfolio consisted of 34 shopping centers including several flagship properties such as Fashion Show, The Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian and The Shoppes at The Palazzo on the Las Vegas Strip, Ala Moana Center in Honolulu, HI, and The Shops at La Cantera in San Antonio, TX. In his position, Sheridan was responsible for the overall financial performance and the strategic direction of the properties in the Southwest Region. NEWPORT BEACH CITY ARTS COMMISSION  CULTURAL ARTS GRANT PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT  (Please type report)  DUE by September 25, 2015  Name of Organization: ExplorOcean  Mailing Address 600 E. Bay Avenue Telephone 949.675.8915 Person preparing report: Wendy Marshall  Phone 949.675.8915  Grant Project(s) Funded: ExplorOcean Maker Workshop  Effective Dates of Grant 2014‐2015  Period covered in this Report 2014‐2015  1.Please describe the effectiveness of your organization's grant project(s): The targeted group for ExplorOcean’s Maker Workshop were kids and families ages 8 and up. Families  responded enthusiastically to the unique opportunity for children to enjoy the time, tools, and space to  create their on projects and inventions during the Maker Workshop. Parents were often taken aback at the  creativity and curiosity that their children naturally posses. It was exciting to see them see their children in  a new way!  The Maker Workshop was implemented during ExplorOcean’s Science Saturday program, which is offered  from 12‐3 on Saturdays. Due to the popularity of the program, we also offered Maker Workshop  experiences during the summer, when our facilities are open to the public every day. Participation varied  greatly between the summer and winter months, but the average attendance overall was approximately  500 visitors a month‐ with a total of 6,000 for the year.   All of our projects were grounded in the 7 principles of Ocean Literacy, which gave participants an  opportunity to learn about a wide‐range of ocean concepts and apply those concepts to their own artistic  creations.   All funds from the Newport Beach Cultural Arts grants were allocated for educational materials‐ and  because of this support, we were able to greatly enhance the activities. Participants worked with lights,  motors, glue guns and soldering irons, and arts and crafts supplies galore! Our Maker Workshop provided  all the tools to ignite imaginations and cultivate creativity!  During the program, visitors had the choice of creating projects based on one of our models, or they could  take the tools and concepts and run in their own direction.  From spin art machines to motorized statues,  light up scenes representing deep sea bioluminescence to “painting” with sand – we were pleased and  humbled by our participants’ creations.  The program was primarily delivered by ExplorOcean’s Director of Education‐ Wendy Marshall‐ and two  ExplorOcean staff members who are art majors, supported by volunteers or additional staff members (on  our busiest days).   2.Please describe how the program was evaluated.  Include information on measures your organization has initiated to improve the project in the future. Our program was evaluated informally by customer feedback/conversations and repeat visitors. We often  enjoyed seeing families return each month as our themes changed. Moving forward, we have created  “smile sheet” feedback forms. These brief forms will allow us to get more structured feedback that can be  used to evaluate the strength of our projects, staff, and over all program.  3.Please add any other comments you feel are appropriate. ExplorOcean is pleased and proud to introduce the Maker Movement to the City of Newport and to be a  frontrunner in this important arena‐ and we are very thankful to the City of Newport for supporting our  efforts. Included below are articles related to the “Maker Movement”. There is no doubt that this approach  to expression and creativity is more than a fad and is widely recognized as a critical component to  innovation. Many of the families who visited our Maker Workshop program were introduced to the concept  for the very first time!  http://time.com/104210/maker‐faire‐maker‐movement/ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brit‐morin/what‐is‐the‐maker‐movemen_b_3201977.html http://www.newsweek.com/2014/09/19/maker‐movement‐reinvents‐education‐268739.html http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2014/08/04/the‐maker‐movement‐makes‐its‐ mark/13567521/ 4.Please attach relevant press clippings, brochures, photos, etc. that demonstrate how the project was completed or is in process. Pic 1. This participant made a spin‐art machine…. So he created a machine to make his own artwork!  Pic 2. ExplorEducator leads a group of visitors through a project in which they use new and recycled  materials to make rockets.  Our public program evolved into a camp program this summer. The OC Registered covered it:  http://www.ocregister.com/articles/students‐676175‐explorocean‐camps.html  Current List of Supporters 600 East Bay Avenue ● Newport Beach, CA 92661 ● (949) 675-8915 ● www.explorocean.org Education Partners Back Bay Science Center Balboa Angling Club California Coastal Commission CASA Catalina Flyer Catalina Island Conservancy City of Newport Beach Department of Fish and Wildlife Coastkeepers CREEC KidWorks Mathobotix Olive Crest Orange County STEM Orangewood Academy USC Wrigley Center for Environmental Studies Financial Supporters First Foundation Bank UNION BANK AvPac Blurock Foundation Building Block Foundation Singer  Lewak   Inviscus Entertainment Air Tech Screen Products, Inc. Kohls Department Stores, INC Schwab Charitable Fund PIMCO Orange County Community Foundation California Coastal Commission City of Newport Beach California Coastal Commission City of Newport Beach The Reinhold Foundation City of Newport Beach Argyros Family Foundation Frome Family Foundation The Duda Family Foundation City of Newport Beach Elliott Family Foundation Fund Marisla Foundation Orange County Community Foundation Richard Steele Trust Wells Fargo Winslow Maxwell Charitable Trust 14 NEWPORT BEACH Independent http://www.newportbeachindy.com/explorocean-robotics-kids/ By Newport Indy Staff on June 26th, 2014 ExplorOcean: Robotics for Kids By Elizabeth Greenberg | NB Indy Dr. Wendy Marshall (center) and Explor Educator Aisha Lozada (left) help a group of kids, including Robert Niggebrugge, 18, of Huntington Beach, work on their projects during ExplorOcean’s Building & Programming Robots with Hummingbird class on Tuesday. The robots could light up and make sound. — All photos by Sara Hall © Introducing new, interactive and entertaining programs, ExplorOcean is a must visit this summer. Located in Balboa Fun Zone, the nonprofit organization offers various activities for kids of all ages and their parents, ranging from animal feedings to free Science Sundays. New this summer are 13 hands-on “Maker Workshops,” which teach children and teens age 10 and older about technology, programming, and engineering in the organization’s new Innovation Lab. Classes include how to build robots, rockets, metal detectors and other projects. Kids will learn about electricity, circuits, conductors and more. Dr. Wendy Marshall, ExplorOcean’s director of education, wants to make the program an invaluable experience for children. “To be the next crop of explorers, you have to be a risk taker, be creative and innovative, and a problem solver. We feel like we are developing those habits of mind here,” Marshall said about the Maker Workshops. Kids test out their robotic projects at an ExplorOcean workshop on Tuesday. The colorful cardboard robots had parts that lit up and make sound. The program provides the time, tools and space to create, she said. Classes are held several days a week in the new Innovation Lab, a fully-equipped area at ExplorOcean that allows kids to learn in a fun atmosphere. Grounded in the seventh principle of ocean literacy that the ocean is largely unexplored, the program is designed to provide kids with the tools to discover. The different activities teach the participants to “understand and then innovate.” The separate sessions use different materials to teach unfamiliar skills, such as soldering. All materials are provided. “I like to look at it as a RadioShack and a Hobby Lobby,” Marshall said of the materials. “We buy stuff in bulk, we plan ahead. It’s just not an expensive activity.” The projects Makers work on range from simple to extraordinarily complex, allowing all ages to be intrigued, impressed, and challenged. “It’s cheaper than babysitting, and they learn how to program robots,” Marshall said. On Tuesday, four Huntington Beach siblings worked with Hummingbird robotics kits, programming robotics with a computer to manipulate movements and create noises. “It’s actually pretty easy,” Robert Niggebrugge, 18, said while working with a Hummingbird robotics kit. “At first I looked at it I was kind of like, ‘Eh,’ but then I was like, ‘Oh wait, that goes there.’” Younger children can also enjoy the fun and create projects in the Maker Workshops. “It’s really cool because it can be simplified for someone of a younger age or someone who’s going to go to college,” Aisha Lozada, an Explor Educator said about the equipment she uses to teach kids programming and robotics. Marshall has taken her Maker’s programs to schools such as Newport Elementary, Ensign Middle School, and Costa Mesa High School, mixing the skills needed in robotics with the necessities of everyday life. It’s also important that participants are able to clearly communicate and explain their work, Marshall said. Kids learn to control their robots through a computer program. “They had to create a project board that (lists) the materials they used, how the thing works,” she said, “but they also did real world connections, like where might you see this in the real world, but they also had to identify problems and solutions.” The projects and hands off approach taken by the staff help the children learn from their mistakes and work their way through problems. “It filters down to work backwards, look at a model, collaborate, ask somebody else. They’re strategies that help not just with the projects but across the curriculum and kind of across life,” Marshall explained. “We actually make them very accountable for the critical thinking they’re doing.” Children learn how to problem solve and persist in their endeavors in the Maker Workshops and ExplorOcean’s other programs. The workshops try to help kids develop these “soft skills” that are not easily learned everywhere. “It’s mostly learning that mistakes are okay,” Marshall explained. “The dilemma is, kids are measured by GPA and test scores, and they’re not always indicators if they have these soft skills or not,” she continued. “By participating in these types of programs, they’re just naturally immersed in those skills. We don’t leave it to chance though, because I have them report and I ask them about their problem solving. We are trying to develop the soft skills which may be hard, and we haven’t cracked the code to measuring them, but we know that they’ll serve them well in new environments and new challenges.” ExplorOcean offers activities for all interests. Another one of their programs, EcoTech, teaches kids about ocean threats, and has them create and use underwater robots to film documentaries, thereby mixing ocean ecology, robotics, and film making into one activity. To many kids, robotics may seem more difficult than fun, but most participants enjoy the experience and many comment that they would like to continue learning about robotics in the future. It’s the perfect way to introduce children to programming and engineering, while also testing out expensive tools, Marshall said. Maker Workshops and other programs at ExplorOcean not only educate children, but are an exciting experience which can broaden minds and arouse new interests. Each activity at ExplorOcean is $10 per hour, with an additional charge for the equipment specific to each project. Class sizes are limited and reservations are required. For more information on ExplorOcean programs, visit ExplorOcean.org. A group of Huntington Beach siblings, between ages 10 and 18, work on their Hummingbird robotic kits at an ExplorOcean workshop on Tuesday.