PS 96 | makemanhattan

Making in School

Cohort Member

PS 96 hosted the very first Manhatta Make-a-thon in December 2016. Tech Coach Lliana Villegas has worked hard to bring Making to her students and was awarded a Verizon grant to bring a Maker Space to the school. PS 96's Maker Space has become a source of creative pride for the students and school community.

LLiana Villegas

with support from David Pretto

Why did you choose a career in education?

I chose education to teach kids how to learn and empower them so they can change the world.

What hobbies or other interests have your brought to your classroom?

In the past Lego robotics, currently learning how to Make. My first unit will be a food unit.

How do you plan on bringing Making to your students this year?

Through teaching them skills like how to make smoothies, cake pops, and how to meal prep. Also, I want to show students how to sew and do some woodworking, and create Podcasts and music using Soundtrap.

PS 96 - ACT

District 4 - East Harlem

Pre-K - 8

Making Space

Making Experiences

P.S. 96 was the first school to host a Make-a-thon in 2016. Tech Coach Lliana Villegas has brought making to her school from the ground up, tapping the creative talents of the students in her K-8 school in East Harlem to design a new logo and uniform for the school (which the kids love). P.S. 96 ACT is also the recipient of Verizon’s Maker Lab Grant. The first project that Ms. Villegas and her Makers are tackling is a costume for the April Comic Con the school will be hosting. The skills required start with threading a needle, go to sewing a straight line, then to sewing circuits using conductive thread and LEDs. Other parts of costumes will be made with cardboard. All superheroes are based on original designs and will address community needs.

Making Ideas:

Students learn best by diving in, giving a clear project and steps to build skills.
Cosplay is a popular instigator for developing making skills. By pairing this with MOUSE curriculum helps students develop real-world skills.
PS 96's cardboard arcade from last year has led students to develop creative planning and skills around using cardboard for constructing innovative designs.