Date/Time: July 20 - 24, 2026; 9:00AM to 3:00PM

Age Range: Rising 9th through 12th grade youth

Have an idea you’ve been dreaming about bringing to life?

In Design It – Make It!, youth will work with Mixxer instructors Carrie Beach and Thaddeus Prevette to turn their own creative concepts into real, finished projects.

Participants will have access to multiple Mixxer shops, including textile, tech, arts, print, jewelry, and industrial spaces, allowing them to choose the tools and materials that best fit their vision. Whether it’s wearable art, a tech prototype, a custom print project, or a hands-on fabrication build, students will be supported in bringing their ideas to life.

Each day includes structured, hands-on instruction and guided making from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. From 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM, participants may stay at Mixxer to continue working independently on their projects with staff support available.

Program fees include up to $100 in materials per participant to help cover project costs.

Before the session begins, each participant will be contacted individually to learn more about their project ideas. Students will also be invited to a pre-program orientation session, where they will tour the facility, meet instructors, and gain a clear understanding of available tools, spaces, and project possibilities.

Date/Time: July 20 - July, 2026; 9:00AM to 12:00PM

Age Range: This course is for rising 6th -12th grade youth

3D Modeling & Design Camp 
Explore Tinkercad • Fusion • Blender

In this fast-paced, hands-on camp, students will dive into the world of 3D design by learning three powerful tools in three days—each with its own style, purpose, and creative possibilities.

Tinkercad — Intro to 3D Design Students start with the basics using Tinkercad, an easy-to-learn platform perfect for building confidence. They’ll learn to create simple models, understand 3D geometry, and prepare designs for 3D printing.

Fusion — Engineering & Precision Next, students step into the world of professional CAD modeling. Using Fusion, they’ll learn how engineers design functional parts, explore constraints and assemblies, and create more refined, technical models.

Blender — Animation & Creative Expression On the final day, students jump into Blender, a powerful tool used in film, animation, and game design. They’ll learn the fundamentals of sculpting, textures, lighting, and simple animation to bring their creations to life.

By the end of the camp, participants will understand the strengths of each platform and come away with a set of projects that showcase their creativity, technical skills, and imagination.

Instructor Bio: Lyssa Troemel is a multi-disciplinary artist, puppeteer, and metal worker currently based out of Winston-Salem, NC. She holds an MFA in Animatronics from UNCSA and was a participant in the international Next Gen Showcase program. Prior to moving to Winston-Salem, she ran the Maker Lab at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, IN, served on the board of Puppeteers of America and was also a Resident Artist at Three Rivers Music Theatre where she designed and built many props. She was also the puppet designer and builder for the award-winning shadow puppet music video for the band Silbo Gomero for their song “Whale Fall”. Currently, she is an instructor and artist in many disciplines at Mixxer Community Makerspace.

Dates/Times: July 27-31, 2026; 9:00AM to 12:00PM

Age Range: Rising 6th -12th grade youth

Would you like to learn new ways to build interesting and fun projects? 

Cardboard is one of the most available, low-cost, and easy to work with materials for building interesting things. Come learn to measure, cut and connect cardboard in ways that will give you new ideas how to use the material. 

We will be practicing measuring, learning tool safety, and trying new cardboard techniques.  We will even explore computer aided design (CAD) and laser cutting. Campers will build a desktop storage container, make texture art, and create a project of their choosing that uses their new knowledge.

Instructor Bio