Overview

Don Callejon’s Design Lab gives students access to equipment, knowledge, and opportunities to develop critical and creative thinking skills.  In addition to our design challenges, hands-on projects, and computer science programs, students will learn collaboration skills and the importance of having a growth mindset.  

Using the Engineering Design Process, students solve real-world applicable problems in order to find optimized solutions.  Foundational skill-building begins in Kindergarten.  By the time students reach middle school, they will have experience in the following STEAM categories: engineering, block coding, hands-on building and power tool use, robotics and programming, 3D design, media and design, and circuitry.  With these foundational skills, students will use the Design Thinking and Engineering Design Process to further develop their skills while working on projects 

Project categories include STEAM-centered and community building and enrichment designs.  Students use their knowledge to tackle different types of projects, from  redesigning common, everyday items to more elaborate topics, such as sustainability.  A typical project involves planning, creating a prototype, testing the prototype, receiving feedback about the prototype, and redesigning the prototype to better fit the needs of the community it serves.