What is Lighthouse Community Public Schools

The Lighthouse Creativity Lab, a program of Lighthouse Community Public Schools (LCPS), is a school-based makerspace dedicated to serving the student population of Oakland, California. LCPS is a family of two schools, Lighthouse and Lodestar, which opened in 2002 and 2016 respectively. The schools were founded with the mission to provide a high-quality education to the largely Latino population, following the expeditionary learning framework that emphasizes community and critical thinking skills, both important factors in making. Over the last 5 years, making has moved from a high school course into a school-wide endeavor, with all K–4 classes hosting a mini-maker space in the classroom. Moreover, the Creativity Lab works closely with teachers to incorporate making into learning expeditions as well as offering making as an elective in the middle and high-school grades. Learning communities are created through the social aspect of working on specific projects and through preparation for events like the Maker Faire. This chapter explores the Lighthouse Creativity Lab.