M.A.K.E.-I.T. Program Hits Capacity, Announces “Diggin’ It” Summer Theme

Litchfield CUSD #12 Meeting | January 20, 2026

Article Summary:
The Litchfield School District’s M.A.K.E.-I.T. program reported a successful end to the calendar year with enrollment at full capacity and a waiting list. Program Director Kelley Walker announced plans for the upcoming summer session, which will feature a paleontology theme.

M.A.K.E.-I.T. Program Key Points:

• Full Enrollment: The program finished the year with 38 registered students and currently has a waiting list.

• Holiday Service: Students participated in community service activities in December, including caroling at Evergreen and Litchfield Health and Rehab Center.

• Summer Plans: The 2026 summer program theme will be “Diggin’ It,” focusing on dinosaurs, fossils, and gardening.

LITCHFIELD – The Litchfield Community Unit School District No. 12 received a written update regarding its M.A.K.E.-I.T. program, highlighting strong participation numbers and community engagement efforts as the new year begins.

According to a report submitted by Program Director Kelley Walker, the program ended the calendar year with 38 registered students, filling the program to capacity. Walker noted that a waiting list has been established for families hoping to join.

The breakdown of attendance includes 19 students attending after school only, two attending before school, and 17 students utilizing both morning and afternoon sessions.

The report detailed a shift in curriculum during December to focus on giving and community service. Instead of traditional homework sessions, students operated “Santa’s Workshop,” creating snow globes and ornaments as gifts for their families.

“We talk about how important it is to give,” Walker wrote in the report. “The door is shut and parents aren’t allowed into the room. The kids love keeping their gift making ‘top secret’.”

Students also engaged with the broader community by caroling in the neighborhood and visiting residents at Evergreen and Litchfield Health and Rehab Center.

Looking ahead, Walker announced that the 2026 summer program theme will be “Diggin’ It.” The curriculum will focus on paleontology, history, and gardening. Activities will include digging for “fossils” in a pirate ship sandbox donated by Hometown Treats and Eats.