JR started as an apprentice at the Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop in the Fall of 2021. He graduated from Hamden Hall Country Day School last June and is currently in his freshman year at UMass Amherst. He is Studying Turfgrass Management and plans to become a Golf Course Superintendent. 

Aidan is a math and physics teacher with a passion for the arts.  Whether teaching middle school math or college physics or building giant puppets, Aidan is happy problem-solving with others.  Singing about science and asking big questions are two more of her favorite pastimes.  She has two kids who have attended Eli Whitney camps and always have a blast.  Aidan loved her experience last year and can't wait to join Eli Whitney camp again this summer.

Katharen Wiese is a multidisciplinary artist from Lincoln, NE, residing in New Haven, Connecticut. She holds a B.F.A. in Studio Art from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln (2018) and an MFA from Yale University (2024).  Wiese is a Community-Engaged Teaching Fellow at the University of New Haven.

Dev is a Senior Apprentice at the Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop, and has been in the program for four years. In his free time he likes to play guitar, ski, and bake for his friends and family. Dev is super excited to help instruct Water Works camp this summer!

Eleanor Schlabs is a junior at Hamden High School and has been an apprentice since her freshman year. In her spare time, she enjoys going on runs, hiking, and spending time in nature with her friends and family. As well, Eleanor loves being a goalkeeper for both her lacrosse and soccer team. She also likes playing the flute and creating music for fun in her time off. She’s looking forward to a fun and creative 2026 summer at Eli Whitney! 

Christopher Wigren is the Deputy Director of Preservation Connecticut and author of Connecticut Architecture: Stories of 100 Places. This is his fifth year helping lead a camp at EWMW.