ANNUAL REPORT
2019 Go Anywhere From Here
S PA R K- C E N T RA L . O R G
OUR MISSION Everyone deserves the opportunity to create the future they imagine! Spark Central is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that ignites the creativity, innovation, and imagination necessary for people to forge the path to their best future. We break barriers to creativity like cost, confidence, and access by offering transformative programs, access to innovative technology, and a welcoming creative community for people of all economic backgrounds. As a 501(c)3 charitable organization, we rely on the generosity of people like you to keep our membership and programs available at no cost so income is never a barrier to a brighter future.
STRAIGHT FROM THE
ENGINE ROOM Dear friends,
Too often, we tell our youth that if they do what is expected of them—working hard, doing well in school, following all the rules, and graduating from college with a degree—then someday, far in the future, they will be important. I feel this is an incredible disservice to the young people in our community who are hungry for change and want to engage creatively today, not in many years’ time. Our world has complex and evolving problems, from climate change to housing shortages. Only creative thinkers will be able to tackle these problems, and there’s no time to waste. At Spark Central, brilliant new writers, engineers, illustrators, builders, coders, rock stars, and comic book artists are emerging every day, creating new inventions and finding solutions to problems most adults haven’t thought of yet. Some of these geniuses haven’t even graduated elementary school. “Nobody works harder at learning than a curious kid,” writes Thomas Friedman in The World is Flat, and at Spark Central, we engage this innate curiosity (with a healthy dose of play) to support youth, teens, and even adults in building the future they imagine for themselves and their community. To help us grow in this work, our new advisory board has been diving deeper into how we can better serve West Central families and take steps on our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our staff and board have been rallying around this work and are excited to keep learning and striving for equity in 2020. Spark Central has always been a community effort and a labor of love. We have an incredibly hardworking team of volunteers, board members, neighborhood residents, and a dynamic staff that fully embraces our mission of breaking barriers to creativity. YOU make our work possible through the gift of your time and support. Thank you for another wonderful year! Sincerely,
Brooke Matson, NBCT Executive Director
MAKING FRIENDS AFTER SCHOOL In March of 2019, when Spark Central received a MECCANOID robot from a local family. Kwinn (age 8) was enthralled. He was the first to try programming the MECCANOID and eagerly learned the iPad interface, laughing out loud when he learned to make the robot dance, speak, and give him a high-five. He has since become Spark Central’s MECCANOID expert, helping other youth, volunteers, and even staff learn how to program and control the MECCANOID, his old friend.
GO ANYWHERE FROM HERE
Spark Central's creative station is open five days a week, giving everyone free access to the tools, technology, and resources to create the future they imagine. Our growing collection of computers, robotics, art supplies, building toys, and books is stewarded by our welcoming community of volunteers who help our visitors break barriers to creativity. This year, we grew our collection to include 22 ready-to-use creative kits, and engaged youth more intentionally after school through our Level Up Creativity program.
2 2 CR EAT IVE KI TS Thanks to Nicki, our Americorps VISTA, we have 22 creative kits for our members to access, each with easy-to-use directions and the supplies needed to get started.
LEVELING UP Ethan designed and screenprinted his own T-shirt as a prize for his consistent participation in Level Up Creativity, a program where youth learn different creative skills after school each day at Spark Central.
BECOMING AN AUTHOR “I can’t believe I might get published!” third-grader Sasha exclaimed as she wrote her author bio on the back of the book she bound with the help of Robyn, a Spark Central volunteer. Sasha’s teacher warned us that she struggled with writing, but when a mysterious editor with a hippo named Snoz challenged her class to write imaginative storybooks in just 90 minutes, the stakes were raised. Sasha eagerly asked how to spell the words she needed. Later, she beamed when the editor called her name and complimented her very imaginative story ending. Her classmates and the volunteers clapped as Sasha’s published book was returned to her, stamped with “Snoz Approved.”
WEST CENTRAL
NEIGHBORHOOD PROGRAMS Our goal is to engage youth in creative education whenever they’re not in school and even when they are! This year, we worked with Holmes Elementary, Audubon Elementary, North Central High School, The NATIVE Project, West Central Community Center, Food for All, and the West Central Episcopal Mission to reach West Central’s youth.
WEST CEN T RA L EX PR ESS N EW S PA PER After school at Holmes Elementary
LEVEL UP C R E AT I V I TY After school at Spark Central & West Central Community Center
BO O K P U BL I SH I N G F I E L D T R I PS S U M M ER & B R EA K CA M PS At Spark Central and key partner locations during school breaks
Holmes and Audubon Elementary classes take the bus to Spark Central
From 2018 to 2019, we increased the number of West Central youth attending our structured programs by
105%
2 P L A Y is P R O 0 4,849 6,119 1 19 9 BY THE NUMBERS
members
volunteer hours
investigative news scoops
159 unique books written & published
4,326
computers, robots, & kits checked out
1,785 public open hours
1,189
books and DVDs checked out
7
112 West Central partner organizations & schools
video games coded
DUCTIVE An average of
73
136
people per day utilize our station
896
hours of structured programming
robots created
32
3,400
forts engineered
snacks provided for youth
8
girl bands formed
1,602
adults served by programs
1
hippopotamus editor fond of Oxford commas
2,355
youth served by programs
S O LV I N G P R O B L E M S T O G E T H E R Zeke and Tiernan were partners for our summer LEGO Mindstorms Camp where they decided to use a color sensor to design and program a robot to sort LEGO pieces into cups based on color. The two boys quickly noticed that the robot was having trouble noticing the difference between green and blue. To troubleshoot, they closely examined their code, cleaned the sensor, tried moving the robot to more natural lighting, and changed the ports of connection. Ultimately, Zeke and Tiernan were unable to solve the problem (likely a hardware issue with the sensor), but learned they communicate well as a team and built an awesome robot!
LAYING TRACKS FOR
THE FUTURE
In May 2019, our board of directors examined our program impacts, staff capacity, and funding levels to set a strategic course for 2019-2021. We are excited about deepening our impact in West Central while remaining sustainable. See our full strategic plan at Spark-Central.org/StrategicGoals.
I N CR E ASE WE ST CE NTRA L ME MB E RS H I P & PARTIC IPATIO N
INC REA SE VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT A ND RETENTIO N
INC REA SE CO MMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, INC LUD ING W HY OUR MISSION MAT T ERS
ENSURE OUR PROGRA M STRATEGY IS HIGH IMPACT DE CRE A SE STA FF TIME SPENT ON LOW- IMPACT ACTIVITIES
IDENTIFY A ND CULTIVATE SUSTA INA BLE, MULTI-YEA R REVENUE SO URC ES
THE COUR AGE TO ROCK Shamiya and Shabriedra are cousins who have been regulars at Spark Central for over a year. More than once, Shabriedra has built microphones and given impromptu performances for the volunteers at Spark Central, so when it came time for Girls Rock Lab, we encouraged both girls to sign up. They were apprehensive and shy at the beginning of the camp but soon were inseparable from microphones. On the third day, both girls confided to a staff member that they’d recently lost a close family member and had been very sad. Their whole family attended the final concert at the Spokane Public Library to watch Shamiya and Shabriedra rock out confidently with their bands. Months later, they held their first CD in their hands!
FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY Our board of directors is determined to make sure Spark Central ignites creativity for many years to come! We have five more years of donated space (thanks to the Greenstone Corporation) before rent will become an expense, and so we are working hard to build our reserve.
O P E R AT I N G R E V E N U E
SOURCES
9% INDIVIDUALS 22% EVENTS 10% CORPORATIONS 37% GRANTS 5% SPONSORSHIPS 15% IN-KIND 2% OTHER
EXPENSES 75% PROGRAMMING 25% DEVELOPMENT &
ADMINISTRATION
STA F F C A PAC I TY Thanks to support from key foundations, we were able to bring our part-time program staff to full-time to meet demand, allowing us to serve the West Central neighborhood more intentionally. Brooke
Wilson
Melissa
Nicole
2019 SUPPORTERS
Spark Central is a 501(c)3 charitable organization and relies on the generosity of people like you to keep our membership and programs cost-free so income is never a barrier to brighter futures. Our deep thanks to the following individuals and organizations who supported our work in 2019:
$2,500+
$500+
B E N E FACTO RS
STAT I O N M A ST E RS
ENGINEERS CONT.
Brad & Dana Van Slyke Jeff & Julie Kilgore Jennie & Jason Wheaton Jess & Anne Walter Jim & Mary Ann Frank Joe & Laura Frank Michelle & David Starry
Amy Rusev Dawley Barb & Marty Mueller Becky Carlson Breean Beggs Brittan Hart Desiree & Monte Madsen Ellen Yones Jennifer & Tristan Frank-Chaparro Justin Sheldon Kathe Reed McKay Ken & Vicki Pickens Kim & Greg Dempsey Mary Alberts Maureen Fay Meredith Devey Pam & Bruce Gallaher Patti & Peter Elzey Rick Eichstaedt Vincent Alfonso
Jessie Norris Kate Lebo Kim Danke Lisa Brown Lunell Haught Manny Hochheimer Marnie Schroer Megan Cuilla Michelle Lockman Nico Archer Shane & Stephanie Gronholz Shawn Vestal & Amy Cabe Suzan Owens
$1,000+
CO N D U CTO RS Cheryl Hastings Cinda & Rob Reed Gage Stromberg Gary Graham Joe Garst Joy Peltier Katie Howard Mike & Christi Malsam Rik Nelson Sandra & Steven Kernerman Tom & Lupine McLaughlin Tony Flinn
$250+
ENGINEERS Ben & Ann Stuckart Christopher Parkin Edward O'Connell Eric & Karyn Woodard Eric and Deborah Stucky Jessica Nichols Jessica Wade
$100+
B E L L- R I N G E RS Adam Fauth Adrian Rogers Alejandra Smith Andrei & Kristy Mylroie Andy Anderson Barbara Tuttle Barbara Schiffman Bruce Howard Cami Nelson Christine O'Malley Courtney Spear Dan Finn Dan Hansen
BE LL-R I N GE RS CO NT. Dan & Meg Rey-Bear Diane Schroeder Edward Reese Elaine Madigan Ellen Picken Ellen Welcker Emily Gwinn Geeta Dutta Grahm Wiley-Camacho Heidi Scott Jane & Pete Tucker Jasmine Albinson Jennifer & Rusty Dailey Jerry White Jessica Wade Jill Rider
Jule Schultz Kathy & Tim Ugaldea Kris Dinnison Larry Cebula Laura Read Lisa Hinds Liz Rognes Lorna St. John Lucy DePaolo Mary Jo Buckingham Melissa Huggins Michael Flannery & Dean Lynch Michael & Vanessa Townshend Nancy Janzen Nicole Adamson-Wood Pamela Shelp
Paula Robison Rob Curley Robyn & Dale Best Ross Watts Saurindra Basu Sharma Shields Sharma and Paul Shields Stephanie Wideman Steve Honig Sudipto Bhowmik Susan McNamara Ted & Anne McGregor Tracy Ellig Veronica & Tim Hamm William Lockwood
FO U N DAT I O N & O R GA N I Z AT I O N S U P P O RT Avista Avista Foundation Bank of America Bitterroot Lodge, LLC BNSF Railway Foundation Boone Electric Bridgeway East Apartments, LLC Bridgeway West Apartments, LLC Cocchiarella Family Fund Fruci & Associates, PS Global Credit Union Greenstone Corporation Hagan Foundation
Highline at Kendall Yards Indaba Coffee Inspirus Credit Union, A Division of Gesa Credit Union Itron Inc. Kaiser Aluminum Kalispel Tribe of Indians KH Consulting Kind Meadowwood Partners, LLC MSJ Investments North Gorge Residential Partners Northern Quest Resort & Casino
Pro Mechanical Services Smith-Barbieri Progressive Foundation Spokane Public Schools Spokane Teachers Credit Union Taking IT Global Union Pacific Foundation Washington State University Washington Trust Bank Washington Women’s Foundation Windermere City Group Windsor Crossing, LLC Women Helping Women Fund
Fery’s Catering Fish Window Cleaning Hamilton Studio Hold On Now, Inc. Joe & Laura Frank John Stanson KH Consulting Lindaman’s
Mary Helen Black My Fresh Basket Robert Karl Cellars Shari Riley Sodexo Sweet Frostings Sweet Geeky Cakes
IN-KIND SUPPORT Allie's Vegan Cafe & Pizzeria Ashlin Challman Beacon Hill Boots Brad & Dana Van Slyke Central Foods Culture Breads Cyrus O’Leary’s
BOARD OF DIRECTORS SANDRA KERNERMAN President Director of Special Giving · KSPS
MIKE MALSAM
Vice President Retired · Spokane Public Schools
JESSICA WADE
MICHELLE STARRY President · Starry Financial
GAGE STROMBERG
Attorney · Powers Stromberg Pension Consulting
JAKE KRUMMEL
Business Development Manager · Numerica
Past President & Co-Secretary Senior Account Director · Desautel Hege
LAURA READ
K AT E L E B O
JAMES KASHORK
JIM FRANK
Also Served in 2019:
Co-Secretary Author
Poet & Professor · Spokane Falls Community College Real Estate Agent
Treasurer Former CEO · Greenstone Corporaton
RICK EICHSTAEDT Attorney
VINCENT ALFONSO
Former Dean of Education · Gonzaga University
STEPHANIE DELAROSA Executive Director · Greenstone Foundation
OUR TEAM B R O O K E M ATS O N
WILSON FAUST
NICOLE ADAMSON-WOOD
MELISSA DZIEDZIC
Executive Director · Chief Engineer Development Director · Coal Shoveler
Program Manager · Stationmaster Program Manager · Conductor
Special Thanks to the Following Individuals: NICKI THOMPSON
Americorps VISTA · Resource Coordinator
PAM ROLLISON & J O A N E ATO N
AARP positions serving Spark Central
SPARK CENTRAL 1214 W. Summit Parkway · Spokane, WA 99201 · Spark-Central.org · 509 279 0299