Getting Unstuck #185: Developing Community Change-makers
“For the kinds of students who are signing up for Project Invent — as opposed to more traditional stem based after school or in school programs — it’s not about building a robot, it’s about impacting someone in your community. And in that way Project Invent, attracts students who may not be interested in robotics, but are interested in community impact.”
Our guests
“I started "Project Invent" with the idea of having students choose what problem they want to solve that they're passionate about in their community, and then be able to learn the design thinking, engineering, and entrepreneurship skills to be able to build real solutions to those problems.”
CONNIE LIU, FOUNDER & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF PROJECT INVENT —Connie is an engineer turned teacher turned entrepreneur. She is recognized as Forbes 30 Under 30 in Education and runs Project Invent to inspire students nationwide to invent technologies that make a difference. She is also an inventor herself, creating assistive technologies to empower those with disabilities. She graduated from MIT and is pursuing an MBA at Stanford University.
“The way we start every school year is by looking for other educators who believe that if we trust our high school students, or any any age student, to be a change maker, and to positively impact and interact with their communities, great things will happen.”
JORDAN MARENO, PARTNERSHIPS MANAGER AT PROJECT INVENT — Jordan is Project Invent’s Partnerships Manager. She joined the team this year to support Project Invent’s growth and tell stories about student impact. Jordan is a seeker of purpose, and believes in clearing pathways for young people to discover their unique talents and changemaking capabilities. She graduated from the University of North Carolina with degrees in Business Administration and Political Science.
Why this conversation matters
This interview is part of our “Unstuck” series. These interviews focus on school leaders who are not just getting unstuck, they’re already "unstuck." And by "Unstuck," we mean they are leading or embracing a major shift in student learning, instruction, ongoing teacher professional development, community relations, or personal leadership. They’re doing things better, not just differently, not just as part of the most recent fad or trend, but because they want to increase the likelihood that they can achieve desired outcomes on behalf of those they support.
Listen for
√ How “Project Invent” got its start.
√ How cross-discipline learning is facilitated.
√ How the curriculum helps students to develop team collaboration and empathy.
√ How a “Project Invent” actually leverages and enriches what may be the instruction in the pre-existing curriculum.
√ The process students go through in an attempt to secure funding to improve their prototype.
√ Examples of student projects. (Watch the brief video below.)
√ How students respond to the program. (Watch the brief video below.)
Connect with Connie and Jordan
(article) Project Invent empowers young change makers to solve real problems for real people
(article) How Project Invent founder Connie Liu is turning high school students into future inventors
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