Beginning in January, I had the pleasure of teaching an 8-week upcycling course to the teens at LightHouse in Holyoke, MA.
LightHouse is in it’s first year of providing personalized education to teens. It’s not a typical school environment, but it’s an education model that aligns well with my family’s approach to home education and child-directed learning.
Each week I thought up different creative reuse projects and packed a suitcase on wheels with a variety of materials and tools. The students and I explored ways to repurpose stuff that is often discarded or less valuable in its current state. Including household waste (food cardboard, junk mail, paper, CD’s, magazines, jars & boxes) and textiles (t-shirts, jeans, scrap fabric). We also discussed the importance of reducing waste and brainstormed creative ways to reuse other materials.
Here are just a few of the amazing works created by the talented group:
Amber Ladley 