Inspiration:
What is the future of stuff and why does it matter?
Solution:
Fifteen high school students, along with professional “ride alongs”, spent 8 days examining the emergence of the maker movement, small business and mass customization and how that intersected with traditional manufacturing and globalization. The design thinking challenge, (sponsored by the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation, in partnership with One Stone, Stanford’s d.school and Senior TED Fellow and Project Breaker founder Juliette LaMontagne) engaged more than 20 Boise businesses, ranging from small start-ups to large global corporations like Micron Technology. The project afforded the opportunity to connect learning to the real world, opening the conversation: What do students need to be learning to be prepared for their future?
Impact:
100% of the high school students who participated reported a significant increase in confidence post-Breaker. Breakers also reported significant improvement in 21st century skill development in empathy, collaboration, leadership and communication.
In their own words:
“Breaker made me realize the importance of failing forward. It has also made me realize the importance of making connections and fostering them.”
“Breaker has made me become confident, open, and involved. It’s also opened me up to the business side of Boise.”
“I’m going to be much more deeply interested in challenges of any sort in the future.”
