Press Release: Student Artists to Enter Fab Lab Design Challenge!

Posted on October 13, 2015

Student Artists Invited to Enter the Mobile Fab Lab Design Challenge

West Contra Costa Unified School District students can see their Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) designs permanently displayed on the new Mobile Fab Lab

RICHMOND, CA October 13, 2015 –Chevron, the West Contra Costa Unified School District (WCCUSD) and the Richmond Art Center today launched the Mobile Fab Lab Design Challenge – an opportunity for local students to design the “wrap” that will be applied to the exterior surface of the Mobile Fab Lab trailer.

The Mobile Fab Lab, which will travel to schools throughout the district, is a small-scale digital workshop equipped with computer-controlled tools, such as 3D printers, laser-cutters, routing machines, 3D scanners, 3D milling machines and programming tools. Made possible as part of a $1 million grant from Chevron to the Fab Foundation, the Mobile Fab Lab will provide hand-on learning to spark the interest in STEM and prepare students for jobs that will require basic STEM literacy over the next five years.

“We’re excited to sponsor the Mobile Fab Lab Design Challenge” said Andrea Bailey community engagement manager of the Chevron Richmond Refinery. “It’s a great opportunity for kids to integrate STEM into art.”

Students from grades K -12 are invited to design a colorful image depicting STEM related ideas. No artistic ability is required. Winning images will be permanently displayed on the outside of the Mobile Lab and multiple entries from every grade level will be chosen and merged into one design.

“This is wonderful opportunity for all students from K – 12 to display their artistic talents for the entire community to see” said Philip Gonsalves, senior director for curriculum and instruction for Mathematics, Science, and STEM in the West Contra Costa Unified School District. “I look forward to seeing the students’ interpretation of STEM through their designs.”

Chevron and the WCCUSD are partnering with the Richmond Art Center and one of its teaching artists, Alex Wang, to create a design that incorporates all of the winning submissions.

“We are thrilled to partner with Chevron and the WCCUSD to help bring the Mobile Fab Lab to life through the students designs” said Richmond Ambrose, executive director of the Richmond Art Center. “With the support of the Richmond Art Center, the students’ designs are sure to be creative and inspiring.”

The Richmond Art Center will offer free workshops to help assist students in submitting a design:

• Thursday, October 15 : Lupine Hills Elementary School, Multipurpose Room, 6:00pm-7:30pm
• Tuesday, October 20: Coronado Elementary School, Multipurpose Room, 6:00pm-7:30pm
• Thursday, October 22: Richmond High School, Library, 6:00pm-7:30pm
• Thursday, November 5: Helms Middle School, Multipurpose Room, 6:30pm-8:00pm
• Saturday, November 14: Kennedy High School, Rooms 401 and 402, 10:00am to 11:30am

The deadline for submission is November 20, 2015, 5:00pm. Contact Drew Kravin at akravin@wccusd.net for additional information and for the submission form.