By Janet Cruz

Students are getting their creative skills flowing in a new class at Telesis Preparatory Academy where creativity isn’t just encouraged, but it is also now part of the schools learning curriculum. The new class, led by  Telesis Preparatory Academy instructor Shannon Condie, mixes design, sustainability and other business skills.

“The Upcycling and Sustainability Lab at Telesis isn’t just an art class — it’s a space where students learn how to think like designers, create like artists, and act like entrepreneurs,” said Telesis Preparatory Academy instructor, Shannon Condie. Condie also owns “Frocked Up” an upcycling fashion channel that has more than 200,000 followers that inpires invention and creativity.

Condie has more than 50 years experience in sewing and creating, with a background that blends fashion
design, education and social media entrepreneurship, and is happy to share her skills and knowledge with the students at Telesis Preparatory Academy.

Telesis Preparatory Academy Upcycling students with instuctor Shannon Condie. /Photo Courtesy Shannon Condie

“I’ve built a career from my passion — first as a designer, then as a content creator, and now as a teacher,” Condie said. “Students are stepping into the world of professional creators. But this isn’t a simulation — it’s their first real studio experience.”

In the lab style class, students have the opportunity to work hands on in five key areas: sewing and design, visual storytelling, marketing and pricing, public engagement and sustainable practices.

Upcycled projects in Upcycling class at Telesis. Photo Courtesy Shannon Condie.

Students are not only learning technical skills, but also how to tell a story through their products, price items and learn how to promote their work and engage with customers.

The purpose of the class is  to challenge students to rethink waste and reimagine everyday materials.

Some project examples are sculptural art stitched from old denim and discarded clothing, each piece narrating its own tale. Water Bottle Botanicals which are plants crafted from single-use plastics, turning trash into treasure and other projects.

Telesis Preparatory Academy and Condie believe that in a world that is often dominated by fast fashion, waste and consumerism. Students are learning to value thoughtfulness over throwaway culture.

“This class isn’t about perfection,” Condie said. “It’s about imagination, grit and glue guns.”

Upcycled projects created in upcycling class at Telesis. Photo Courtesy Shannon Condie

Telesis  plans to include courses like Upcycled Fashion, Advanced Design and Teen Entrepreneur Labs so students graduate with portfolios with real-world pathways.

The school recently hosted its “Imagination Marketplace” where students displayed their upcycled projects.

Paper flowers from pages of a book. Photo Courtesy Shannon Condie

“At Telesis, education is alive. And thanks to the ImagiNation Marketplace, students aren’t just preparing for the future — they’re already shaping it,” Condie said.

Imagination Marketplace event at Telesis gym. Photo courtesy Shannon Condie

Telesis Preparatory Academy is located at 2598 Starlite Lane, Lake Havasu City. For more information on the class and other programs, call  928-855-8661.

Photo Courtesy Shannon Condie