The Welman Project

THE WELMAN PROJECT EXISTS TO UPLIFT THE COMMUNITY AT THE INTERSECTION OF IMAGINATION, EDUCATION, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

THROUGH OUR EDUCATOR SUPPLY PROGRAM, WE'RE TACKLING TWO BIG ISSUES IN OUR COMMUNITY - WASTE OUTPUT GENERATED BY BUSINESSES AND LACK OF RESOURCES IN OUR SCHOOLS - WITH ONE INNOVATIVE SOLUTION: CREATIVE REUSE. WE COLLECT SURPLUS MATERIALS AND DONATE THEM TO CLASSROOMS, WORKING ONE-ON-ONE WITH TEACHERS TO PROVIDE FREE, CURRICULUM-ENHANCING REPURPOSE ALTERNATIVES TO PURCHASING NEW SUPPLIES. THE RESULT IS A COMMUNITY WHERE WASTE IS REDUCED, THE BURDEN ON TEACHERS IS LESSENED, AND CREATIVITY AND INGENUITY THRIVE IN THE CLASSROOM. IN 2022, WE KEPT 167 DUMPSTERS WORTH OF MATERIAL FROM GOING TO THE LANDFILL, SERVED 4,450 EDUCATORS, AND DISTRIBUTED $2.5 MILLION WORTH OF SUPPLIES TO SCHOOLS.

OUR CREATIVE REUSE EDUCATION PROGRAM HELPS TEACHERS BRING HANDS-ON, OPEN-ENDED LEARNING TO THE CLASSROOM, BUILDING COMPLEX PROBLEM-SOLVING AND CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS BY CHALLENGING STUDENTS TO EXPERIMENT, DESIGN, AND SEE THINGS IN A DIFFERENT WAY. WITH FREE ACCESS TO POWER TOOLS, CRAFTING EQUIPMENT, AND DESIGN SOFTWARE, TEACHERS CAN CREATE AN ENGAGING LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND HANDS-ON, CREATIVE PROJECTS FOR THEIR STUDENTS WITHOUT BUDGET LIMITATIONS STANDING IN THEIR WAY. TEACHERS FROM ACROSS DISTRICTS, GRADE LEVELS, AND SUBJECTS ARE ABLE TO COLLABORATE AND EXCHANGE IDEAS, AND RETIRED TEACHER AND CRAFTSMAN VOLUNTEERS PROVIDE INSPIRATION AND GUIDANCE DURING OUR OPEN MAKERSPACE HOURS. IN OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS, WE PROVIDE TEACHERS WITH TRAINING AND MATERIALS FOR UNIQUE PROJECTS, ALONG WITH GUIDANCE ON UTILIZING CREATIVE REUSE TO MAKE THEIR DAILY STEAM CURRICULUM MORE HANDS-ON WITHOUT HAVING TO SPEND MONEY ON SUPPLIES. IN 2022, OVER 300 TEACHERS AND STUDENTS TOOK WORKSHOPS IN OUR MAKERSPACE, AND OVER 700 STUDENTS PARTICIPATED IN OUR ANNUAL RECYCLED ART EXHIBIT, PRACTICING TEAMWORK AND CREATIVITY WHILE LEARNING ABOUT WASTE REDUCTION.

OUR CREATIVE REUSE STOREFRONT, THE CURIOSITY SHOP, IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND FILLED WITH DEEPLY DISCOUNTED ARTS AND CRAFTS MATERIALS, REDUCING WASTE THROUGH SELLING SECONDHAND ITEMS AND MAKING ART MORE ACCESSIBLE TO ALL. ARTISTS AND MAKERS CAN FIND THE SUPPLIES THEY NEED ALONG WITH UNIQUE MATERIALS THEY CAN'T GET ELSEWHERE, AND KIDS ARE ABLE TO DREAM BEYOND THE GENERIC CRAFT KIT WITH OUR FILL-A-BAG SECTION OF UNUSUAL TREASURES TO CREATE WITH. THE COMMUNITY IS ALSO ABLE TO SUPPORT LOCAL ARTISTS IN OUR CONSIGNMENT SECTION, WHICH FEATURES ART AND HANDMADE GOODS USING REPURPOSED MATERIALS. WE SERVED OVER 3,000 PEOPLE THROUGH THIS PROGRAM IN 2022. WE ALSO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF REDUCING WASTE AND HOW THEY CAN CREATIVELY REUSE COMMON MATERIALS THROUGH PRESENTATIONS TO GROUPS AND BOOTHS AT COMMUNITY EVENTS, REACHING THOUSANDS MORE INDIVIDUALS.