Spark-Y

🌱A Spark-Y themed pegboard for the makerspace
💧 A custom aquarium topper for Lucy the axolotl
💡glowing signage for the fish tanks
our apprentice Russ ( )has made some amazing ideas come to life! 🛠️

Using SketchUp and the Glowforge, these designs are making the jump from digital to real-world creations we can see and use. Russ brings talent and skill to every project, and is already onto the next build: a scalable aquaponics model, showing off their talent for 3D modeling and innovative design ⚙️

Spark-Y Makes a Splash at Creativity Fest! 🐳 🔬

On January 13-14, Spark-Y apprentices and staff led an Aquaponics Exploration workshop at the 2026 Creativity Fest organized by and hosted at . Over the two days, approximately 160 students from 3rd-5th grade attended our workshops and explored aquaponics through four engaging stations: seed sowing and microgreens tasting, microscope investigation of macro organisms, algae, plants, and seeds, water testing for pH and ammonia, and an up close exploration of our DIY mobile aquaponics system, designed by Spark-Y apprentices, to learn about the nitrogen cycle and water circulation.

Check the last slide for feedback from the kids who joined us! 💚

The concept is simple. Underutilized substitute teacher days will be transformed into valuable class time—like an in-school field trip—with the Clean Economy Educators program. Trained substitute teachers will educate middle and high school students about pressing issues and solutions and connect them to meaningful career opportunities in the growing but currently undertrained clean economy. Sign up today!
https://weallneedfoodandwater.org/cee/

Two weeks ago was the final Shark Tank Event for the Entrepreneurship Course at VOA! 🦈

The Shark Panel, composed of Spark-Y’s board of Directors and a VOA English teacher, heard three different student plans including YN Fashion Line, Bread & Butter Bakery & Maya’s Care. Students that participated got to choose a prize basket from a local business 🧺

A massive shoutout to our apprentices who have been guiding students on creating an individualized business plan that they are passionate about! 🙌 ❤️

So proud of these incredible young people 💛

We celebrate as several of our Spark-Y apprentices graduate and take their next steps in their education and careers. Watching them grow and discover their paths in life has been an honor. To our graduates: we’re cheering you on always and can’t wait to see where your futures take you.

Once Spark-Y, always Spark-Y 🌱

Huge THANK YOU to for supporting Spark-Y this holiday season 🌲💜

Because of 4,860 amazing customers who rounded up at the register, Bachman’s raised $2,333 for Spark-Y! This support directly fuels our Pathways program and helps us keep showing up for young people with hands-on, real-world learning opportunities.

Bachman’s has been a major supporter of our Pathways program and we are incredibly grateful for their team and their continued belief in our work: community partnerships like this truly make a difference! 🌱