The MakerBus has been selected as one of three finalists in the Venture London small business awards in the new business category. We’re honoured to be selected as a finalist from a pool of more than 90 applicants. All three finalists will receive a 60 second commercial produced by In2 Communications Inc.

Given that none of the MakerBus co-founders especially enjoy talking about themselves, we’re having trouble working on a script that captures what the MakerBus is all about. So we turn to you, our community, and ask, “What does the MakerBus mean to you? How would you describe it in 60 seconds?”

Below you’ll find several of our rough drafts. We’d love feedback – please be brutally honest. We hope to include our community’s feedback in the final script. We’re attempting to write a commercial that informs people about the maker movement and the MakerBus itself and lets potential community sponsors know how much we appreciate community support.

Please keep in mind that none of these commercials are really finished – we’re trying to explore ideas that we think might work.

Draft 1:

Did you know that 5 year-olds can pick locks? Or, that people who are struggling to complete high school can build flying robotic drones? Or, that 2000 people can become a world record-breaking electrical circuit? At the MakerBus we make learning fun.

While it might feel like everyone in our community has access to high speed internet, smart phones, and computers, there’s a huge digital divide that separates people who have access to technology and people that don’t. And as our society becomes increasingly digital, this divide threatens to leave huge portions of our community behind.

We started the MakerBus to help close this digital divide by creating affordable access to cutting-edge technology and innovative education to everyone in our community. We work with a network of schools, libraries, and community organizations to create out-of-the-box events, workshops, and classes.

From exploring the social and environmental impact of 3D printers to sewing lights into felt monsters, the MakerBus makes the technologies of tomorrow accessible to Londoners today. We raised the money to buy our bus from community donations from every-day Londoners and we are able to run our bus through community investment. From the entire MakerBus team we’d like to thank our community champions for their support.

Together we can help make an incredible future for our community. To learn how you can help support technology education in Southern Ontario visit www.makerbus.ca.

Make a difference – get on the bus!

Draft 2:

In 60 seconds we’re going to tell you about the MakerBus, Canada’s first mobile makerspace and technology classroom, and teach you how to transform your phone into a microscope using a laser pointer.

Let’s hack a laser pointer…

Step 1 – unscrew the cap on the laser pointer, unscrew the black plastic ring, and gently tap out the glass lens.

At the MakerBus our goal is to expand access to cutting-edge technology and hands-on education in Southern Ontario using a renovated 1989 school bus.

Step 2 – sandwich the lens in between the arms of a bobby pin and the tape bobby pin lens holder over the camera on a smartphone or tablet.

We work with libraries, schools, and community groups to run hands-on workshops for children, youth, and adults, to plan staff training, and to consult on curriculum design.

Step 3 – launch your camera app and move your phone/tablet towards an object until it comes into focus. Take a picture and marvel at your new microscope.

If you’re interested in learning more about 3D printers, robotics, coding, how to combine with the arts and humanities, or how your organization can be featured on the side of this beautiful bus – visit www.makerbus.ca to get in touch with us.

So in 60 seconds you’ve learned about the MakerBus and how a laser pointer can turn your phone into a microscope. If you’ve learned this much in 60 seconds, imagine what you could learn in 60 minutes…

Draft 3:

What has four wheels and a 3D printer? This bus! The MakerBus is Canada’s first mobile makerspace and technology education classroom and is proud to call London, Ontario our home. Our goal is simple – to provide schools, libraries, and community groups in Southern Ontario access to cutting-edge technology and hands-on education.

Now I know what you’re saying – I get the “bus” part, but what’s a “maker?” Makers are people who love to build, create, design, or tinker. Everyone from mechanics, to gardeners, to engineers are makers.

The MakerBus takes the hands-on philosophy of the maker movement and applies it to all aspects of education. This means that we don’t just teach – we engage. From working with at-risk youth to build flying robots, to working with children to pick locks, to showing teachers how to 3D scan and print objects – our team of experienced, passionate educators challenges our community to learn by doing.

So if you’re a parent who wants their child to get away from the screen and get their hands dirty, or if you’re a teacher who wants to better understand technology, or you’re a literacy provider who wants to design an out-of-the-box module, or if you’re a community-minded company who would like their logo featured on this beatiful bus, visit www.makerbus.ca to learn more about our services and how we can work together to expand access to technology and education in our community.

Draft 4:

“All my child wants to do is play Minecraft.” While some parents might see this as a problem, at the MakerBus we see infinite educational possibilities.

Did you know that you can play Minecraft on this tiny $35 microcomputer called a Raspberry Pi? On the Raspberry Pi version of Minecraft children are encouraged to hack the game world and physics engine using the Python coding language. So for less than a week’s worth of coffee, you can empower a child to learn how to code by playing a game they already love.

The MakerBus is Canada’s first mobile makerspace and technology education classroom and we everything as a learning opportunity.

Draft 5:

Hi, so you’re probably wondering what I’m doing with these bananas. Well at the MakerBus we don’t just see bananas, we see pianos, and video game controllers, and music synthesizers.

The MakerBus is Canada’s first mobile makerspace and technology education classroom. Using our big blue 1989 school bus/classroom/makerspace/exploratorium our goal is help expand access to cutting-edge technology and innovative education to people young and old in Southern Ontario.

If you liked this article, why not follow the MakerBus on twitter (@DHMakerBus) or like us on Facebook (/dhmakerbus)? We post some of the most creative maker projects found on the web every day. Or, if you’re looking to learn more about the MakerBus and our goal of increasing access to technology and education in Southern Ontario, visit our website (www.makerbus.ca). If you #getonthebus, we promise a fun ride!

-The MakerBus team