The Clubhouse was packed with friends and family for our Summer Collab Showcase on August 9th. Collabs are a new initiative developed at C4K, spearheaded by our Clubhouse Coordinator, Cullen Levesque. Staff at C4K wanted to create a club for members to all work on a project together as a group, which would give them roles and jobs similar to real world opportunities.
Collabs are weekly gatherings of members and mentors with the goal of creating a big collaborative group project. Collabs rely heavily on each member’s participation to complete one project together. Each Collab hosts a field trip to a relevant location for members to interact with, gain inspiration from, and enjoy. At the end of each semester, there is a separate event showcasing each Collab’s final product.
Check out the 2 group projects our members created this summer: Fashion Lightshow, upcycled LED-embedded clothing and accessories and Pixels in Motion, a retro arcade gaming console. Bravo to our members and mentors for tackling these ambitious projects!
Fashion Lightshow
Members transformed thrift store finds into unique creations – and then incorporated conductive thread to turn them into glowing fashions. They learned how to use sewing machines, do hand stitching, create and cut patterns, and trouble-shoot delicate electronics during this process.
Pixels in Motion
Here’s a glimpse into the process of making a prototype, constructing the framework in wood, and starting the decorative touches of the arcade-style console. Members gained skills in planning a construction project, using power and hand tools, and creating custom stickers and colorful design elements collaboratively.
See the finished projects here:
The Future of Collabs
Cullen is enthusiastic about the initial launch and continued evolution of Collabs. He states, “The goal is to engage members and strengthen relationships, but also give them a real world experience. I would love to see members get into journalism or camera work because of a Collab such as C4K News, where we’ll be using quality cameras and audio equipment to capture our anchor team and field crew, consisting entirely of our awesome members!”