After more than a year of remote learning, students are struggling to find focus at home. Here in West Oakland, McClymonds High School has seen an uptick in absences as students cope with feelings of isolation and a lack of motivation. “You’re not getting that day-to-day experience,” explained McClymonds junior, Isaiah Smiley in a recent ABC7 interview at The Crucible.
For more than a decade, West Oakland students ages 10-18 have been participating in our Earn-A-Bike Program, learning free bike mechanics while fixing up two frames. Upon finishing the program, participants take one bike home and donate the second to be sold in support of the Bike Shop.
Invest in the makers of tomorrow by joining us from the comfort of your home for a celebration of industrial arts, community, creativity, and resiliency.
Our Woodworking classes are some of our most varied and most popular. The department includes offerings in woodturning, woodworking, marquetry, hand carving—but doesn’t have the space to keep all the equipment in the shop when classes are running. So if you ever found yourself at The Crucible between sessions, you might have witnessed our studio staff moving six Woodturning lathes in and out of the Wood Shop.
Starting a small business is always a challenging task, but doing so during the pandemic makes it especially difficult. Artists, crafters, and makers have spent the last year implementing new ways to create, grow, and sustain their small businesses.
It's been a minute, but The Crucible is back! We resumed classes this past Tuesday and it feels so great having our departments (safely) active again. In just the past week, students have shown incredible ambition in their making and now is your chance to do the same!
This Black History Month, we collected five instances of inspiring black artists and artisans of the fine and industrial arts. We hope these stories will be a jumping off point for you to dive into further research and inspiration during this month, and after.
We are excited to be restarting our Earn-A-Bike Program this February 16, as a newly designed 4-week program, running Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 3-6pm. The Crucible’s Bike Shop has been operating with new health and safety policies in place, successfully running multiple Bike Fix-A-Thons and Bike Maintenance classes for our local community.
In a year where most students are participating in remote learning, hands-on opportunities for creativity and skill building are more important than ever. After our successful Summer 2020 Youth Camps, we’re excited to be returning with our 2021 spring and summer camp offerings for youth ages 8-18.
Equity, access, and facing the pandemic are challenges our Board will continue to tackle for the foreseeable future. And to support these efforts, we are pleased to welcome four new members to the team: Cindy Johanson, Craig Croteau, Joyce Pederson Shulman, and Shawnee Keck.