Pop-Up Club is a free after school program that brings hands-on learning opportunities for middle school students with an emphasis on STEAM subjects (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Mathematics), explored through real-world projects.
Since the spring of 2017, Pop-Up Club has connected students from Wayne Highlands Middle School with local businesses, artists, makers, educators, and professionals to share knowledge, teach them entrepreneurial skills, open their minds and eyes to potential work opportunities, and engage within a safe atmosphere.
Through partnership with Lackawanna College Lake Region Center, we were able to expand to Pike County in the fall of 2019 to serve Wallenpaupack Area Middle School with programming out of The Silk Mill and the Hawley Public Library. A third Pop-Up Club for Western Wayne Middle School students launched in the 2022-23 school year, in partnership with the Hamlin Community Library. Homeschooled and cyber schooled students are welcome to join their local Pop-Up Club!
Pop-Up Club was initially funded through multi-year grants from The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Foundation, and continues to be supported by grants from PPL Foundation, The John and Helen Villaume Foundation, United Way of Lackawanna and Wayne Counties, donations from local businesses through the EITC program, and corporate and individual sponsors. The program receives a significant amount of in-kind, product, and service donations from individuals and businesses in the community.
Through facilitating collaboration between middle school students and members of our community, we envision building a long-term network of relationships, mutual learning, and service between generations and across the region. Programming like Pop-Up Club opens students’ eyes to potential work opportunities, teaches entrepreneurial skills, and provides a safe and welcoming atmosphere in the critical after school hours. The Pop-Up Club format continues to provide not only a home base and a sense of purpose after school, but also a way to explore a wide variety of topics in a real-world fashion that is tangible, empowering, and inspiring.
Pop-Up Club focuses on a changing topic and activity each club. Every day is something new to explore! We aim to provide diverse learning experiences by collaborating with as many local businesses, professionals, artists, makers, and entrepreneurs as possible.
Pop-Up Club students have been lucky enough to connect with community collaborators including local cartographers, tech entrepreneurs, graphic designers, brand illustrators, farmers, coffee roasters, artisan chocolatiers, improvisational instructors, screen printers, 3D print experts, manufacturers, radio operators, app developers, bankers, culinary artists, physical therapists, computer programmers, musicians, academic scholars, National Park Service employees… and MORE!
In the workforce nationwide, there is a large gap between what jobs are available and what jobs individuals are qualified for. Many of the jobs that are available and unfilled are STEAM focused jobs that require skills in communication, problem solving, collaboration, and innovative thinking.
Pop-Up Club provides students the opportunity to try something new, maybe even fail, and then overcome that failure with support and critical thinking.
Introducing students at a younger age to potential jobs, many of which they can work during high school and college, further solidifies the “workforce pipeline.” Such immersive STEAM education ultimately provides young adults with a more efficient and effective entry into the workforce and shows them that they have a place here in their own community once they finish school.
Does your middle school student want to participate? Please contact Amanda at amanda@thecooperageproject.com for more information or contact your middle school office.
April+May 2024 – Wallenpaupack
April 2024 – Wayne Highlands
April 2024 – Western Wayne
March 2024 – Wayne Highlands
March 2024 – Western Wayne
February + March 2024-Wallenpaupack
February 2024- Wayne Highlands
February 2024- Western Wayne
November/December 2023- Wallenpaupack
December 2023- Wayne Highlands
November/December 2023- Western Wayne
November 2023- Wayne Highlands
October 2023- Wayne Highlands
September/October 2023- Wallenpaupack
September/October 2023- Western Wayne
Would you or your business like to provide an experience for middle school students? Please contact Amanda Masters, Youth Program Manager: call 570-253-2020 ext 2 or email Amanda.
Do you want to support or sponsor Pop-Up Club and youth programming at The Cooperage Project? Please consider a donation to our efforts! No gift is too small (or too big)! DONATE HERE!
If you are interested in learning more about funding through the EITC program find out more here.
Good things are happening here!
