2BCF BLOG
From Art to Action: How One Film is Reviving Classrooms and the Planet
On Earth Day and every day, the film STILL A BLACK STAR shines light on the global e-waste crisis. Here is our interview with Emmy-award winning Director Keen Konwiser on his film that follows Japanese artist Mago Nagasaka to Agbogbloshie, Ghana—one of the world’s largest e-waste sites in the world and their incredible work to change that:
After you watch this interview, you can watch the film for free here: https://tubitv.com/movies/100026926/still-a-black-star
If you are a teacher, parent or person who wants our original curriculum on sustainability, based on the film and designed alongside the filmmaker and artist that teaches kids how they can help the planet now, from wherever they are, DM us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/2bitfoundation/ or email us at hello@twobitcircus.org 🌎♻️🎪
Hawthorne STEAM Expo!
We had the BEST TIME at Hawthorne STEAM Expo at Prairie Vista Middle School! There were so many incredible venders and we were able to bring so many of our STEAM Carnival booth classics like our Button Wall, Lego Arcade, Hexacade, Ultimate Recycling Machine and Re-Selfie Wall plus our newly launched FUNancial Literacy LARP that teaches kids about the reality of managing finances as an adult AND a booth that taught our proprietary program Coding Crew where we taught dozens of kids how to code! This is an annual event that we are always thrilled to be a part of and we are already looking forward to next year. Check out this video of some highlights!
Unboxing a Bambu Lab P1S Combo
Teachers & First-Time 3D Printing Users – This One’s for You!
Join Dan from Two Bit Circus as he walks through the unboxing and setup process with easy-to-follow instructions—perfect for educators, beginners, and anyone new to 3D printing.
Dan gives us clear, deliberate directions for every step. It’s perfect for classrooms & first-time users!
If you’re setting up a Bambu Lab P1S Combo, this video is a must-watch! Check it out here:
Laser Cutting Made Simple: A Beginner’s Guide
We know laser cutting can seem intimidating, but with the right tools and guidance, it’s easier than you think! Here are three key takeaways to get started smoothly:
🔹 Master the Software – Learn how to set up and optimize your designs in RetinaEngrave for precise results.
🔹 Material Matters – Different materials require different settings; knowing the right speed and power is key to clean cuts.
🔹 Safety First – Proper ventilation and machine maintenance ensure a smooth and hazard-free experience.
Check out our STEAM Program Technician Ash’s handy-dandy tutorial on how to use a laser cutter below or here!
STEAM Day at Windsor Hills Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet
We had a blast at STEAM DAY this weekend at Windsor Hills Math/Science/Aerospace Magnet! We brought along some of our classics:
•Our Imagination Arcade – educating the kiddos on the classic games!
•Eco Vehicles – building cars using up-cycled materials and then racing them down our three-lane ramp!
•Light Up Superhero Masks – a fun activity with a built-in physics lesson!
•And our Community Re-Selfie booth where folks can use our up-cycled materials to make masks of themselves or their friends!
Here are just a few photos and videos of the fun we had. More to come!
If you’d like us to bring our sustainable STEAM booths to your school site, send us a message!
Turning Trash into Tech: How Two Bit Circus Reinvents STEAM Education
Two Bit Circus Foundation is transforming recycled materials into hands-on STEAM experiences for kids—proving that innovation and sustainability go hand in hand. ♻✨
Check out this recent CBS segment all about what we do!
By repurposing discarded items, we create engaging activities that teach problem-solving, creativity, and environmental responsibility. Through events like our STEAM Carnivals, thousands of kids get to explore science, tech, engineering, art, and math in a whole new way!
A smarter, greener future starts with education. Don’t you just love seeing creativity and sustainability come together? We sure do!
We Won An Infy Makers Award!
You may remember us posting about our submission to the Infy Makers Awards back in November – the Infy Awards are put on by Infosys Foundation USA and are all about empowering the next generation of creative problem-solvers.
We submitted our program Coding Crew – which is ready-to-teach 10 lesson + one event course that teaches elementary, middle and high school students to code and design their own video games – and we WON!
Coding Crew was created by our Director of Community Learning Mya Stark and has been implemented in dozens of schools so far to great success and we are thrilled to now have received a $10,000 grant and the opportunity to participate in the Making CS Inclusive professional learning experience led by the leading education non-profit organization, Digital Promise. With their awards, the winning educators will be creating hands-on, experiential, and inclusive opportunities for students to learn computer science in personally meaningful ways, helping their students to understand how it’s relevant to the real world and to their lives.
Here’s a little video of Coding Crew in action
We are so proud of Mya and our whole team that made this now award winning course a reality!
More about Coding Crew
Our program uses a peer-based learning model that engages students in computer science concepts while guiding them through the process of co-designing a video game with their classmates. Older students take on the role of mentors, teaching younger peers to create video games using Scratch, a beginner-friendly coding platform. By training teachers to facilitate Coding Crew independently, they ensure the program’s sustainability, allowing it to reach new groups of students each semester and build a lasting foundation for STEM proficiency in low-income communities.
If you would like to bring Coding Crew to your school, check out this page and then email Mya@twobitcircus.org.
Fire Relief STEAM Camps
Dear 2BCF community,
Angelinos have really been hurting the past few weeks in the presence and aftermath of the horrific fires. In the midst of tremendous loss, evacuations and frequent wellness checks of our loved ones, we have been coming up with ways to support local children who have been impacted. Our first offering to our community is a series of free STEAM workshops put on by us, Two Bit Circus Foundation and the LA Department of Parks and Recreation to kids affected by these devastating LA fires. These programs are designed to bring art, STEAM learning, and healing to children and some support and relief to parents and caregivers who really need it right now.
As you know, it takes a village, and we need help to make this happen. Whether you can volunteer your time or contribute a donation, you’ll be playing a crucial role in so many lives right now.
There are two easy ways to help:
- Make a Donation
Just $37 covers the cost for one child to attend one of our STEAM workshops for the day! Every dollar given goes directly to funding fire relief programs for kids. - Volunteer Your Time
Volunteers are essential to running our workshops smoothly! If you’d like to lend a hand, click here to connect with our team.
Thanks to your generosity, we were able to put on our first camp yesterday and it was so wonderful and we have more in the works and the more we raise, the better we can make them!
And while we’re working on these, we just want to say how proud we are of our team. Everyone banded together and worked overtime to put something together as soon as possible. When so many communities lose all of their schools, we know we need all hands on deck and that’s what we have here. We’re so grateful.
Check back here for updates on the Fire Relief Events that we’re putting on and thank you in advance for your donation support and your time. Together we will get through this!
Calling All Cardboard Visionaries!
It’s time to assemble😉! Would you like to share your artistry AND be entered to win an arduino gear programming kit?
An arduino is a microcontroller that can be used to learn programming and make creations come to life. We make our very own Arduino board called the CircusDuino and it could be yours!
To enter, simply upload photos to instagram of past or current cardboard builds, tag @imaginationfdn and @2bitfoundation and use the hashtag #CardboardChallenge2024 and you’ll be entered to win your very own CircusDuino! Check out these photos from past Challenges and scroll to the end to see a photo of our CircusDuino. Winners will be announced next Friday! Happy building!