Most people don't put the words "engineering" and "fun" together in the same sentence.

But for Air Rocket Works Co-Founders Rick Schertle and Keith Violette, the two always go together.

With a shared passion for creating rockets and launchers, they first connected over some articles Rick wrote for Make Magazine.

Keith wound up sending Rick a working prototype of his compressed-air rocket launcher, which Rick describes as "the coolest thing ever".

The rest is history.

Rick and Keith, who live in California and New Hampshire, respectively, have only seen each other in-person a handful of times: at maker fairs! But their small business, Air Rocket Works, has been capturing the imagination of kids and "big kids" since its founding in 2014.

And their air rockets, compressed-air launchers and free templates--including four contributed by NASA!--continue to be a hit.

"I've always wanted to include the fun side of engineering, and keep things interesting," Keith says.

While their products have a sense of joy built right into them, Air Rocket Works' launchers and templates are also teaching kids--and "big kids"--a lot about science, technology, engineering, art and math.

Both Rick, who teaches at Steindorf STEAM Magnet School, and Keith, a mechanical engineer by profession, have implemented maker fairs at their local schools.

For Rick, a long-held dream of hosting a school maker fair ultimately led him to evolve the school's traditional open house to a mini-maker event. With music, a rocket launch and maker stations, the event was a huge success, and grew proportionately. Rick says he thinks 2025 will mark their fourth year!

(Like to give a favorite maker or rocket enthusiast a gift they'll enjoy? Here’s a link to Rick’s book “Planes, Gliders and Paper Rockets: Simple Flying Things Anyone Can Make” on Amazon!)

Meanwhile, while his own son and daughter were in school, Keith volunteered to teach engineering sessions. These involved building water rockets and doing rocket launches. After meeting other parents with similar engineering background, he and his wife Tanya organized a three-hour maker fair, with fifty exhibits, at the local high school, for students from first grade through high school.

"(We made) all kinds of just really fun hands-on things, to show that science, engineering and the arts all work well together," he explains.

And both Rick and Keith want to keep right on creating cool "flying things", teaching and inspiring kids (as well as big kids!) to explore, be confident and see themselves as makers.

Rick and Keith shared the story of Air Rocket Works, talked about some of their favorite experiences and discussed what they'd like to do next!

Would you like to help an incredible community uphold a tradition of more than a century?

And in the process, have a lot of fun, and help to create a work of art?

If you're in the Southern California area, that's the invitation which South Pasadena Tournament of Roses would like to extend to you.

South Pasadena Tournament of Roses President Ed Donnelly and his team are building their 2026 float, "The Great Picnic Heist", for Pasadena's 137th Rose Parade® on New Year's Day--and they need volunteers from now through December.

"There's plenty to do, for any skill set," Ed says.

1893 history, 2026 creativity

South Pasadena Tournament of Roses' "The Great Picnic Heist", a whimsical depiction of a snoozing bear whose picnic has "grown legs", is likely to evoke smiles, laughter--and a considerable sense of pride in their legacy.

That's because South Pasadena Tournament of Roses is the oldest "self-built", or noncommercial independent float builder, in the parade. They've been participating in the Rose Parade since 1893--and Ed says they've had a float in the parade, continuously, since 1911!

Ed, who is a professional musician and audio engineer, sees considerable creative parallels between performing live music, and building award-winning Rose Parade floats.

"We're creating art," he explains, of both experiences.

"If you look at the Rose Parade floats, they're works of art.

"...How are we connecting with people? What does this say? What will they think when they see this?

"...It's very much the same sort of approach and philosophy." (Check out Ed's website for his recording studio, Barber's Basement, to hear a demo of some great Americana, country and folk music!)

Additional opportunities

In addition to the volunteer opportunities, South Pasadena Tournament of Roses invites you to their "Crunch Time Party and Auction", happening December 29th.

And if you don't happen to be in the Southern California area, but would like to support them, there are several ways.

You can donate directly on their website, purchase a raffle ticket or souvenir merchandise or check out their Amazon wish list, for "The Great Picnic Heist"!

Ed talked about his background, offered a closer look at "The Great Picnic Heist", and shared some of his favorite stories of working with South Pasadena Tournament of Roses.

What might Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol look like, in virtual reality?

Performer, director and mixed-reality artist Kevin Laibson has an innovative answer.

As Experience Director for New York immersive design studio Agile Lens, Kevin is the producer of A Christmas Carol VR, now in its fifth year and offering free live performances on Meta Quest!

The goal of Agile Lens, as stated on their website, is to "redefine storytelling through immersive technology... to create transformative spatial experiences."

They accomplish this goal with their nontraditional interpretation of Carol.

With some reimagined characters, A Christmas Carol VR maintains the magic of the timeless story. A talented two-actor team brings the show to life, in under an hour, amid some "magical" VR elements.

And incidentally, earlier this year, the show received a nomination for Best Immersive Theatre, during a special run at the Raindance Immersive Festival!

How to attend

Performances begin with a matinee on Saturday, November 29th, and run through weekends up to Sunday, December 21st. Here's the link for information.

There will also be an all-day "stream-a-thon" on Agile Lens' YouTube channel, on December 24th!

In addition, Kevin will be performing his solo show, "The Harmnf", in New York and Los Angeles! Here's the link for tickets.

Kevin talked about his background, offered a preview of what A Christmas Carol VR Audiences will see, and shared some guidance for fellow educators and theatre professionals who might like to take their work into virtual reality.

"I thought, this is a good way to motivate and inspire students to learn," explains VictoryXR Co-Founder and CEO Steve Grubbs.

He's recalling both his first VR experience--and the genesis of his Iowa-based educational technology company, founded in 2016.

VictoryXR, now used by educators in more than 30 countries, is transforming education through virtual reality, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence.

In real-world-based immersive settings, students become interactive, rather than passive, participants: encouraged to explore, be curious and create content.

Applications are available for learners of all ages, from kindergarten to postgraduate and technical/career training.

Hands-on and virtual

Among VictoryXR's applications is the VXRLabs platform, which is free to download. Simulations on VXRLabs include an interactive field trip to Egypt, a virtual biology lab and a "create space" for students to input their own content.

There are also more than 140 fully-immersive field trips on the "Victory XR: Global Traveler" app, which takes students all over the world.

Without ruining the fun, let's just say that these approach travel destinations from some highly imaginative perspectives, while teaching.

"Because you're immersed, students retain dramatically more information," Steve explains.

AI for all learners

One of VictoryXR's newest offerings is HOLOTUTOR: an AI student tutor, available, 24/7, that can tutor students in virtually any subject. (It's also free to download.)

Steve talked about his background, shared the story of creating VictoryXR and offered a closer look at some of the ways his company continues to transform the ways we learn--and teach.

Just one more week till Immersive X!

For three days, starting Tuesday, November 11th, this free all-virtual festival will explore the ways XR will transform the future.

The arts, academia, health, and society will be among the areas covered in ten different tracks.

And in addition to exploring the exciting innovations happening with VR and XR, the event is all about connecting in the metaverse.

"We always look for people that want to contribute to the development of this community," says Immersive X Organizer and Curator Thomas Zorbach, who is the Founder and CEO of Berlin-based full-service agency vm-people..

While the sessions are popular, and space may be limited, prospective visitors are still welcome to apply for an invitation--just with the warning that some sessions may already be full.

Thomas says there will be a training day on Monday, November 10th, and then, sessions start on Tuesday, the 11th, with his opening remarks at 6 am, Pacific time.

In this interview from September, 2025, Thomas shared the story of creating both vm-people (check out their YouTube channel, for past IMMERSIVE X sessions!) and the IMMERSIVE X festival, as well as offering a preview of this year’s events.

"This is an exciting new path for us," says Neil Squire Society Makers Making Change Accessible Gaming Lead Tyler Fentie, of his organization's latest initiative: the GAME Kit.

This innovation marks the latest step towards expanding adaptive gaming throughout Canada for Makers Making Change, an initiative of nonprofit Neil Squire Society (which is Canada's leader in creating assistive technology).

Makers Making Change connects volunteer makers with Canadians with disabilities, to create low-cost or free assistive technologies which empower individuals to work, play and live fulfilling lives. Customized to that specific client, these devices have ultimately led to Makers Making Change's open-source library of device patterns, available to makers worldwide.

Feedback from their clients, as well as from makers with disabilities, makes their devices effective for the communities they serve. Currently, Makers Making Change is conducting their "Hacking for the Holidays" event, where makers come together to make holiday toys accessible to their young recipients. This year, Tyler says, they're expanding that program with a week-long special event.

And they're expanding their reach as they make fun accessible to gamers, as well.

A "game-changing" vision

In 2024, Tyler implemented and led the GAME Checkpoints program: opening centers, throughout Canada, which work with community partners to offer resources, gear and training for adaptive gaming. The program continues to thrive.

At the time of our 2024 conversation, Canada had nine GAME Checkpoints. Today, Tyler says, that number has grown to eleven. His goal is to have one in every Canadian province.

And the GAME Kit was in the works. The goal: to facilitate setups of adaptive gaming showcases by providing equipment, a guide and a checklist.

The latest innovation

Today, the kit is complete--and has been released for purchase. (While it's not currently available outside of Canada, Makers Making Change has both a four-part series on the basics of game adaptability, and a accessible gaming equipment patterns available to all makers on their open-source library of assistive device build instructions!)

With three different sets of assistive devices for increasing more complex gaming, as well as a guide with five possible setups, the GAME Kit allows anyone--even if they have no experience--to set up an effective showcase and show visitors how adaptive gaming can work for their communities or organizations.

Tyler talked about creating the GAME Kit, explained at one scenario in using it to set up an adaptive gaming showcase, and offered a look at an exciting grant program designed to help Canadian youth implement adaptive gaming showcases in their areas!

Cosmic Girls Foundation CEO and Founder Dr. Mindy Howard is making several dreams a reality, at once.

As a future astronaut, she's fulfilling her lifelong career aspirations.

Through her Netherlands-based company, Inner Space Training, she's training commercial space travelers to optimize this once-in-a-lifetime experience.

As an author and speaker, she's using what she's learned, in training as an astronaut, to help her readers train for success. (Check out her book, Blast Off! Train Like an Astronaut for Success on Earth, as well as her TEDx Talk!)

But most of all, with her nonprofit Cosmic Girls Foundation, she's empowering young women, globally, to pursue their dreams of a career in our future space economy.

World-class empowerment

Through their virtual community, Cosmic Girls Foundation provides girls, ages 14 through 19, with STEM education and a network that can pave the way for future careers as astronauts, aerospace engineers and astrophysicists.

With their free Cosmic Forum, they offer a virtual space for girls to connect over their shared interests in aerospace, astrophysics and related topics.

Mindy explains that the forum is a collaborative, rather than competitive, space, in which the girls help and guide one another by providing answers to such questions as, "What telescope should I buy (for) stargazing?"

"It's almost like a sisterhood," Mindy says, as she shares the surprisingly-mature insights she's seen 15-year-olds sharing with their peers.

Members of the Cosmic Forum are also eligible for virtual training through Cosmic Girls' worldwide program partners.

Skills learned can include virtual astronaut training, as offered by the new MMARS program; hands-on research, as listed in the Habitat Marte curriculum; and machine learning, listed by Womenovate.

However, like any space program, Cosmic Girls Foundation is reaching goals--then traveling beyond them.

Destination: spaceflight

Just recently, Cosmic Girls Foundation offered their 6 Girls 6 Continents Competition.

Recruiting girls from all over the world, they offered a chance for six finalists to receive astronaut training. The goal: one girl from each continent, gets to train.

And the grand-prize winner, funding permitting, will receive a free suborbital spaceflight!

Mindy says that, since the Foundation is still securing funding for the competition, they may soon re-open it to additional entrants. Here's the link to watch, for updates!

Mindy talked about her journey as a space professional and future astronaut, shared the story of Cosmic Girls Foundation and offered a preview of what may be next!

"My calling is...about how we work together as humans," says BridgeMakers Founder and Core Leader Dr. Ruth Diaz.

And in her leadership cooperative, compassion, community and leadership can result from facing conflict head-on.

Focusing on "being humans on purpose together", as their website says, BridgeMakers has a mission of creating resilient and collaborative virtual communities. In the process, Dr. Diaz explains, they build bridges between communities, while offering support to leaders to help them understand where communities can break down,

Disruption as innovation

Their method? To embrace "disruptive elements" in a way that challenges and strengthens these communities, fostering innovation, inclusion and understanding.

While most communities do not thrive on conflict, BridgeMakers looks to weave it into their fabric, seeing disruption as an opportunity for growth and understanding.

Dr. Diaz says that challenging those best practices by those who have faced exclusion from them is one of the best ways to expand what building community means.

Accordingly, BridgeMakers includes four key initiatives, which explore leadership as a shared journey, in the virtual space, in which all voices are heard.

A precursor to these initiatives is The Troll Project, which involves approaching "trolls", or disruptors, with empathy and compassion. Some ex-trolls are now members of the community, and Dr. Diaz says their experienced perspectives can be helpful to community leaders who have encountered problems.

BridgeMakers' initiatives

In addition, BridgeMakers, which meets weekly on multiple VR platforms, has initiatives for leadership development, inclusive community building and their "Human on Purpose" groups, which explore the multiverse together.

Dr. Diaz talked about her background, shared the story of BridgeMakers and The Troll Project, and offered a closer look at their work--including a "template" for building welcoming and diverse communities.