Caldera High School’s commitment to Career and Technical Education (CTE) is something you feel immediately.
CTE shapes the school’s culture, giving students a sense of purpose throughout the curriculum they grasp and translate to real-world experience. And at the heart of that curriculum is Gavin Meyers, the CTE educator who imagined a Makerspace Lab.
Meyers has been building Caldera’s program since the school opened in 2021. His vision has guided the growth of Caldera’s CTE curriculum year after year, always shaped around what students need now and what Central Oregon’s workforce will need next. When Meyers applied for SELCO’s Classroom Makeover, he saw an opportunity to finish a space his students had been dreaming about.
A Makerspace built for possibility
The Makerspace Lab has become a cornerstone of Caldera’s identity. Meyers designed it to reflect the region’s spirit—a place where engineering, creativity, and outdoor culture intersect. As the school’s population grew, so did the demand for programs that could help students connect learning to meaningful, real-world applications.
But two major learning labs remained unfished due to budget cuts and reductions in state funding: a bike maintenance and repair shop and a ski and snowboard design lab.
Transforming an idea into a working lab
SELCO’s Classroom Makeover helped Meyers bring the full Makerspace to life. The funding helped upgrade the power, air, and exhaust infrastructure so long-awaited equipment, like a donated CNC router and a professional ski and snowboard press, could finally be used by students.
Students also have access to:
- A sublimation printer for custom graphics.
- Industry-quality presses and fabrication tools.
- Purpose-built storage that makes the tight space workable.
- Safe electrical and air systems needed for daily lab use.
For Meyers, these upgrades aren’t just about machines, they’re about access. Many of Calderas’ students, including the school’s large Latino population and those identified as historically underserved, now get hands-on experience with tools and technologies that connect directly to local industries.
Building skills and much more
The new bike shop is one of Meyers’ proudest additions to the Makerspace. In Central Oregon, bicycles are part of daily life, and learning to maintain and repair them provides both career-aligned skills and lifelong independence. Students now explore mechanical systems, geometry, physics, and engineering through real repair projects.
The lab also serves the school community. Caldera’s PE program recently received a fleet of mountain bikes, and Gavin’s students now help maintain them. Soon, the shop will offer tune-ups and repairs for families who need them, and students plan to restore bikes to donate to peers across the district.
Impact starting now
With the Makerspace Lab fully operational, nearly 300 students will use the upgraded lab this year alone. The finished space represents a commitment to equity. Many Caldera students face barriers outside of school, and ensuring they have access to industry-relevant tools, hands-on learning, and pathways into stable careers is essential for long-term success. These spaces show students the value of their ideas and the strength of their creativity; the Makerspace now embodies that message for them every day.
Caldera’s mission is to prepare students for their post-school lives with the skills, mindset, and purpose needed to succeed. Now, with a completed Makerspace Lab, that mission feels more alive than ever. SELCO is proud to support the vision of dedicated educators like Meyers, who is helping shape some of the future workforce in Central Oregon and community for years to come.
Published May 16, 2025
