Garner Holt Education Through Imagination is inspiring everyone to play, dream and be creative.

In the process, students may be discovering future careers.

This imaginative Redlands-based STEAM program implements unique “AniMaker” spaces for schools and communities. Students and participants of all ages learn twenty-first century hands-on skills, while designing and creating animatronics.

Recently, Garner Holt Education Through Imagination opened a new space at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Redlands – Riverside.

You’ll get to see this firsthand.

You’re invited to their virtual open house, on Tuesday, June 9th, to find out more about this first-of-its-kind space in the area! Here’s the link for more information.

Multifaceted STEAM

In addition, Garner Holt Education Through Imagination offers STEAM animatronics kits, STEAM camp experiences and field trips. They also do professional training for educators.

It’s all about the students discovering what they love to do, and having fun being creative, says Educational Services Manager Jill Brown.

“I like to say that my job is getting to what I wish I’d had, as a kid,” explains Jill, who draws on her background in early childhood education to create the curricula.

“With all of the programs and field trips and summer camps that I get to create, I always think of, ‘what would I want to see from this?’, or…’what’s something that I think would be intriguing?'”

A pioneer’s creative journey

This innovative program ultimately resulted from the general public’s interest in Garner Holt Productions.

The world’s largest creator of animatronics, show action systems and interactive elements started with owner and company president Garner Holt, and his passion for building cool characters that give, as he says, “the illusion of life”.

Garner, while still in his teens, had begun by building animatronics in his parents’ garage. He quickly branched out to create his own company in 1977.

“As I moved out of my parents’ garage and into a building, people always wanted to know what I was doing…making a dinosaur or some character or something like that,” he explains.

“So, I started giving tours.”

As the shop grew, in the ensuing 49 years, Garner Holt Productions wowed people all over the world.

Their spectacular creations captivated visitors at locations including theme parks, museums, zoos, and a popular children’s restaurant chain.

And Garner never said “no” to anyone who wanted to tour the facility.

Giving back to future generations

These explorations of the creative process behind the magic ultimately led to the STEAM education program, and its goal of introducing students to possible future career paths.

“I started to adopt schools,” Garner says.

“I combined forces with a couple of different educators…we decided to create some form of a STEAM/STEM learning thing (with animatronics).

“…It’s a modern-day shop class for schools.”

In addition to the Education Through Imagination program, Garner also created the nonprofit Garner Holt Foundation, which offers underserved youth opportunities for hands-on, career-focused STEAM education.

Meanwhile, he says, community-based maker space Garner’s Garage will soon be welcoming additional young makers into its hands-on learning environment.

Garner and Jill talked about their experiences with Education Through Imagination, offered a look at the applications of STEAM in creating animatronics, and shared their vision for the future of their STEAM education programs.

On this edition of Over Coffee® we cover:

• What Garner and Jill remember best from their own educational journeys, that led to their work today;

• The story of Education Through Imagination;

• The distinction between robotics and animatronics;

• Jill’s creative process, as she designs curricula for the program;

• Applications of STEAM in the process of creating animatronics;

• Where AI serves in the animatronics “toolbox”;

• The ratio of girls to boys in the STEAM camps and tours;

• STEAM offerings for adults;

• Garner and Jill’s experiences, opening the Garner Holt Teen Innovation Center;

• The virtual open house, happening June 9th at 2 pm, to which you’re invited! (Here’s the link!);

• A closer look at the Garner Holt Foundation and Garner’s Garage;

• How to support these community programs;

• What’s ahead (including some very cool adult STEAM programs planned for the future).