At Acera, learning means doing. Our MakerSpace and Woodshop are vibrant hubs where students transform curiosity into creation and learn technical skills. Students have built tree houses and climbing walls for Acera’s Adventure Playground, cubbies and reading lofts in our classrooms– tackling real-world engineering challenges that build confidence and develop the kind of problem-solving mindset that lasts a lifetime.
Our engineering program embraces the iterative design process that professional engineers use every day. From designing paper kites and testing them with industrial fans to building functional backpacks and carnival games, students practice the essential cycle of design, build, test, and refine.
Working with our engineering specialists, students explore diverse disciplines:
- Aerodynamic Engineering: Designing whirligigs modeled after maple tree seeds and testing paper kites through iterative prototyping
- Structural Engineering: Building geodesic domes inspired by Buckminster Fuller, exploring the mathematics of natural geometry
- Computer-Aided Design (CAD): Learning professional 3D modeling tools and bringing digital designs to life through our 3D printers
- Mechanical Engineering: Creating Rube Goldberg machines, designing interactive games, and engineering solutions to everyday challenges
Every project balances creativity with functionality. Quality engineering at Acera means students get to make their own design choices while meeting real performance standards that are obvious and testable to everyone.
In our woodshop, students as young as 8 pick up hammers, saws, and measuring tools to bring their visions to life. Safety and proper tool use are foundational—but so is the freedom to build something meaningful.
From constructing picnic tables for our playground to crafting custom furniture, cutting boards, toolboxes and skateboards, our students develop woodworking expertise that serves them across countless applications. The pride that comes from building something with your own hands—something beautiful, functional, and entirely your own—is transformative.
One of our most beloved programs is boatbuilding, where students learn the time-honored craft of creating seaworthy vessels from scratch. In these design-build classes led by civil engineer turned educator, Josh Briggs, students team up to engineer and construct seaworthy boats from marine plywood and lumber. Through sketches, scale models, and water testing—including US Coast Guard protocols—students apply iterative design principles before building their vessels at full scale, developing craftsmanship, collaboration, and problem-solving skills along the way.
Working in crews over weeks or months, students:
- Learn to read blueprints and technical drawings
- Master marine woodworking techniques and tools
- Apply principles of hydrodynamics and buoyancy
- Practice precision joinery and finishing
- Develop patience and persistence through complex, multi-phase construction
The culmination? Launching their completed boats and watching them float—proof positive that when you apply knowledge, skill, and determination, you can accomplish remarkable things. These launches are celebrations of student ingenuity, teamwork, and the pure joy of bringing an ambitious project across the finish line.
Our MakerSpace projects don’t exist in isolation. They connect organically to classroom themes and student interests, creating rich, interdisciplinary learning experiences. When exploring paper as a medium, they engineer functional bags with pockets and straps. When investigating food systems, they construct cold frames, compost systems, and hydroponic setups.
This integrated approach mirrors how real innovation happens—by connecting knowledge from multiple domains to solve meaningful problems.
Through hands-on making and engineering, Acera students develop essential life skills:
- Creative Problem-Solving: Approaching challenges from multiple angles and embracing iteration
- Technical Competence: Building genuine skill with tools, materials, and technologies
- Resilience: Learning that setbacks are stepping stones and mistakes teach powerful lessons
- Collaboration: Working effectively in teams where everyone’s contribution matters
- Pride and Ownership: Experiencing the satisfaction of building something that works, that’s real, that matters
Our facilities include:
- A bright, spacious MakerSpace equipped with workbenches, tools, and storage for ongoing projects
- A professional woodshop with both hand tools and power tools
- 3D and laser printers and computer stations for digital fabrication
- Ample material storage to support diverse, ambitious builds
- Indoor and outdoor work areas to accommodate projects of all sizes
