Tualatin is a Finalist!

Tualatin’s Community Revitalization Plan focuses on increasing opportunity and the standard of living for everyone in the community through advancing STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) education. While Tualatin continues to seek solutions to all community-defined needs and priorities described in the Tualatin Tomorrow Vision, the ABC initiative is hyper-focused on one specific target:  connecting youth and underserved populations to STEAM education and CTE training that align with Tualatin’s advanced manufacturing industry base.  In addition to providing jobs and personal growth opportunities for residents, the plan will help the community begin to develop a workforce pipeline for a large cross-section of employers. 

In the short-term Tualatin plans to build a mobile makerspace enabling students to create, build, and enjoy hands-on learning. Makerspaces are interdisciplinary innovation spaces dedicated to the art and science of manufacturing goods. The mobile makerspace will be scaled to serve students K-12 with special emphasis on elementary and middle school, girls, and minorities. Its unique attribute is mobility. It will literally roll to wherever the kids are; schools, neighborhoods, and community events, to maximize utilization.  The team is working with employers to acquire equipment to outfit a trailer with computers for multimedia and CAD, 3D printers, various tools and equipment that will connect kids to the latest technology.  Initial funding will be from the ABC award and local commitments. 

Longer-term, Tualatin intends to supplement the mobile maker space with a permanent Community Career and Creative Center.  The Center would provide space to add larger maker equipment, conduct classes and workshops and integrate performing arts.

More than 350 communities nationwide entered the competition after its launch in 2014, and 50 were selected as quarterfinalists in April 2015, and this was narrowed to 15 semi-finalists in January 2016.  On April 27, 2016 we learned that Tualatin was selected as a finalist and was awarded $100,000 to start advancing this plan for our community. In April 2017, the top three communities making the largest impact and showing the greatest potential for achieving sustainable revitalization will be selected as the grand prize winners. The first place community will receive $3 million, the second place community $2 million, and $1 million for third. 

This tremendous opportunity is made possible by our Tualatin ABC team comprised of members of the City, the Tualatin Chamber, Mask & Mirror Community Theatre, the Tigard-Tualatin School District, Tualatin Tomorrow Visioning Committee, South Metro-Salem STEM Partnership and other businesses and community members developed a community revitalization plan focusing on long-term and short-term goals.