Marcella Foundation

Classroom Outside the Four Walls

Building the future of hands-on education in South Lake Tahoe

Melissa Uppendahl Executive Director

Our Mission

Three Pillars of Impact

Feed

Rescuing food and feeding our neighbors through FeedTahoe

Read

Book access and reading mentorship for young learners

Lead

Building a makerspace for hands-on learning

The Challenge

Students here lack access to advanced tools and creative spaces until they leave for college

Why should they have to wait? Why should they have to leave?

The Solution

The Atrium

A makerspace where students learn by doing — building, experimenting, and discovering how things work

Opening Fall 2026 at 970 Lodi Avenue

Collaboration

Powered by Partnership

Working with the Strong Workforce program to bring the classroom outside the four walls

South Tahoe High School Lake Tahoe Community College Local Maker Community Area Businesses

Definition

What is a Makerspace?

A place where students learn by doing
A creative playground for building and experimenting
A community where students collaborate and take risks
A place where every student belongs

Everyone is a maker. It's a place where you can build anything — and become anyone you want to be.

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Phase 1: Mobile Makerspace

Starting Now

Equipment Demos

Bringing tools directly to the school

Teacher Integrations

Hands-on learning in existing classrooms

Student Leadership

Building capacity for peer mentoring

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Phase 2: The Atrium Opens

Fall 2026 & Beyond

Field Trips

Classrooms visit for immersive experiences

Certifications

Equipment mastery credentials

After School

Workshops and open lab time

Open Tinkering

Free access for independent projects

January 2027

What Success Looks Like

Students building projects they're proud to show
Classrooms adding hands-on components to curriculum
A recognized "third space" for community
When people mention SLT, they mention 970 Lodi

For Educators

Bringing Your Classroom Outside the Four Walls

Find community partners that align with your values
Look in unexpected places — nonprofits, businesses, individual makers
Start by asking for advice — build relationships first

Small-town students,
big possibilities

marcellafoundation.org

Melissa Uppendahl melissa@marcellafoundation.org