Thursday, June 12, 2014

Volunteers Needed - Maker Faire 2014 SWE-D Booth

Maker Faire Discount Tickets - Limited Time Only!
Groupon is offering discount tickets to Maker Faire through June 23.  All of our SWE Maker Faire volunteers will receive wristbands for free admission, but you may wish to purchase additional tickets now for your family and friends if you're planning to volunteer.  Act fast -- the deal is only available for the next 4 days.

Maker Faire 2014: Call for SWE Volunteers!
Event: Maker Faire Detroit
Dates: July 26-27, 2014
Times: 9:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Location: The Henry Ford, 20900 Oakwood Blvd, Dearborn, MI 48124-4088
Parking: Free
Point of contact: Ashley (Prescott) Lesser swemakerfaire@gmail.com

Event: Maker Faire Planning Meeting
Dates: Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Time: 6:15 PM
Location: Potbelly, 31991 Woodward Ave, Royal Oak, MI 48073
Parking: Free
Point of contact: Ashley (Prescott) Lesser swemakerfaire@gmail.com

The Motor City Maker Faire is an annual celebration of "arts, crafts, engineering, food, music, science and technology projects and the do-it yourself (DIY) mindset" at the Henry Ford, now in its fifth year.  The exhibits range from goofy to useful: from a life-size game of Mousetrap, to 3D prototyping - but either way there's a lot of science and engineering in evidence, and a great opportunity for SWE outreach.  Last year we continued our popular slime activity, and continued to build connections with parents and teachers.  We were even mentioned in a Detroit News article, and received a Maker Faire Editor's Choice Ribbon!

We are currently seeking volunteers to stay with the booth, explain and run science activities, and talk to kids (and their parents and teachers) about engineering.  Volunteers who work a shift will receive a wristband for one-day admission to the Faire.  To sign up, send (1) your name, (2) your cell phone number, and (3) your available/preferred times to swemakerfaire@gmail.com by July 10.  Based on the response, we will coordinate the volunteer schedule so that we have good coverage of the booth during the busiest times.

If you're interested in helping brainstorm activities, displays, and handouts for this summer and beyond, please consider attending the (optional) planning meeting on July 2.  It will be a relaxed event.  Feel free to drop by if you are considering volunteering for the first time, and would like to learn more about the event.  Together, we can make SWE's presence bigger and better this year!  In addition, we will discuss the potential for launching a "maker" scholarship next year to encourage late high school and early college age students to creatively experiment with the tools of technology.

Finally, if you are an electronics or mechanical hobbyist, and you have something you've made that you'd like to show off under SWE's banner, please contact us as soon as possible!

Contact Ashley Prescott at swemakerfaire@gmail.com and let her know how you'd like to get involved!

Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Upcoming Event - Royal Oak Book Club

Event: Royal Oak Book Club
Date: June 22, 2014
Time: 4:00 - 6:00 PM

Location: Vinotecca, 417 S. Main St., Royal Oak, MI 48067
Cost: Everyone pays for themselves
Parking: Free on Sunday
Point of contact: Michele Marion  michele.marion@swe.org

Other info:
Discussing David Sedaris' "Me Talk Pretty One Day".