ONE BOLD WEEK: INNOVATION LAB
After a week of leadership development, our One Bold Summer participants were sparked by a chain reaction of liberation that can only be found at our great Lab.
And to further fuel their light, we segued into our Innovation Lab, which operates as an intersection of queer identity and STEM education. This week, our Lab participants were led by our tech-wiz Program Coordinator, Tommy Purdy! At the start of the week, we wanted to continue having our youth work in groups to showcase the power of teamwork and the complexities and often triumphs that come with working with others.
In a 30-minute activity called “Float, Carry, & Roll,” we gave our youth a series of paper, tin foil, and miscellaneous craft supplies, and with those tools, they would make the following structures.
1) Something that could float.
2) Something that could carry.
3) And finally, something that could roll.
Everyone was grouped into teams of 5 and immediately got to work on their structures. Each contraption was different from the rest and displayed its creativity and innovative thinking in its craftsmanship. After each structure was finished and tested for its stability (or lack thereof), they were asked to combine all three projects into a single structure that could float, carry, and roll. Their structures were as imaginative as they were durable for the tasks ahead, which then led to an activity we did with our partners at Hyundai!
On the second day of programming, three representatives from Hyundai came down to the Lab and gave our OBS youth a crash course in product development & design. Students were able to design their own future mobility vehicles and bring them to life using upcycled materials.
And to top it off, they got an up-close look at a real Hyundai Genesis vehicle. As they all huddled around the vehicle, they learned how sustainability and zero-emission technology are shaping the future of transportation.
To close out the week, our youth reflected on what innovation really means… not just in technology, but in the way we solve problems and imagine a better future. Whether they were constructing structures out of everyday materials or designing the next generation of sustainable vehicles, they were reminded that some of the greatest innovations begin with curiosity and, of course, collaboration.
This week of OBS, our Innovation Lab challenged our youth to dream big, embrace trial and error, and see themselves as future creators and engineers. We can't wait to see where their ideas take them next.
