The Crucible
“When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” -- Kahlil Gibran
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By Debra Hannula, KABF Board Chair I think it's safe to say 2016 was a year of dramatic changes and downright upheaval. For some it was happening in the world around them, for others it was personal. Losing a beloved child is a blow like no other. It always feels wrong to have parents outlive their kids. Tragedy struck a close friend whose son died unexpectedly last June. In an Oakland Catholic church, I listened as family and friends eulogized Dylan, a remarkable young man. Dylan was kind and thoughtful. He loved working with kids. He loved animals. He loved living in Oakland with his girlfriend, an impressive woman in her own right. He was artistic and had many interests, including a desire to learn welding as a trade. I felt a grant in Dylan’s honor to The Crucible would be a way to both honor and remember Dylan and help kids in his name learn invaluable skills. |
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The Crucible is a not-for-profit educational facility located in Dylan’s beloved Oakland, which unites the Arts, Industry and Community into one. Their mission is “to inspire exploration and expression through welcoming hands-on arts education and experiences for people of diverse ages and backgrounds.”
One of The Crucible’s programs for young artists includes welding instruction. Their onsite welding studios are impressive. Welding is also a part of their summer camp programs and outreach with public schools that have become partners with The Crucible. In addition to learning welding skills, The Crucible provides numerous ways that young people can build skills and creativity. Bike workshops and many apprentice programs are among the skills taught at The Crucible. Their literature boasts, “These programs serve more than 5000 young people each year, with 80% of participants receiving access to free or discounted industrial art programs. Contributions provide scholarships, free programming for schools and other community partners, and support young interns and apprentices.”
The KABF foundation visited The Crucible in 2013. You can read about that visit here. KABF board members loved learning about the kids welding, saw them in action and met them during our tour. I was struck by the fact that many of the kids we met had been coming to The Crucible for 6 straight years.
We gave a second grant in 2016 in Dylan’s name to provide scholarships for The Crucible’s work with youth welding classes, and we received this thank you note from David Miller, the Executive Director:
“The youth who will benefit from this grant will gain technical skills while improving their confidence, communication, and leadership through engagement with classmates and mentor/instructors. It is truly inspiring to see students evolve as artists as well as members of our community.”
Dylan Presente!
Read more about The Crucible here.
One of The Crucible’s programs for young artists includes welding instruction. Their onsite welding studios are impressive. Welding is also a part of their summer camp programs and outreach with public schools that have become partners with The Crucible. In addition to learning welding skills, The Crucible provides numerous ways that young people can build skills and creativity. Bike workshops and many apprentice programs are among the skills taught at The Crucible. Their literature boasts, “These programs serve more than 5000 young people each year, with 80% of participants receiving access to free or discounted industrial art programs. Contributions provide scholarships, free programming for schools and other community partners, and support young interns and apprentices.”
The KABF foundation visited The Crucible in 2013. You can read about that visit here. KABF board members loved learning about the kids welding, saw them in action and met them during our tour. I was struck by the fact that many of the kids we met had been coming to The Crucible for 6 straight years.
We gave a second grant in 2016 in Dylan’s name to provide scholarships for The Crucible’s work with youth welding classes, and we received this thank you note from David Miller, the Executive Director:
“The youth who will benefit from this grant will gain technical skills while improving their confidence, communication, and leadership through engagement with classmates and mentor/instructors. It is truly inspiring to see students evolve as artists as well as members of our community.”
Dylan Presente!
Read more about The Crucible here.