For Garner Holt, the creation of this foundation is a lifelong dream. Garner started his company, Garner Holt Productions, Inc., in 1977 in his parents’ garage while he was still in high school. Today, Garner Holt Productions, Inc. has produced more animatronic figures for theme parks than any other company on the planet. Garner attributes much of his success to educators who encouraged him to embrace his curiosity, explore his interests, and pursue his passions. With a strong desire to give back to the community that supported him first, the mission of the Garner Holt Foundation is to increase hope, ignite imagination, and inspire creativity in the lives of young people through hands-on, career-focused learning experiences in the areas of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. To bring these experiences to life, the Garner Holt Foundation creates immersive learning opportunities for underserved youth throughout the community to explore careers in engineering, robotics, automation, programming, manufacturing, and the visual and performing arts, while simultaneously building in-demand job skills and the self-confidence needed to pursue their own paths to success in the careers of their dreams.
Focusing on More of What Matters for Student Success!
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Inspiring the Next Generation
How Garner Holt is sparking an early interest in the attractions industry among students
In early January, adolescents from across southern California went on a mission—descend upon a nondescript office complex south of the San Bernardino National Forest in search of the future. Inside, the 50 students entered a vibrant factory space, filled with colorful equipment and plenty of room to dream.
Outfitted in white lab coats, they set forward toward a common goal: create an animatronic, similar in nature to the story-telling robotic figures made famous by Walt Disney Imagineering for Disney attractions around the globe.