August 14, 2017
“Anyone out there can do amazing things.”
13-year-old middle school student, Ryan, who has seen firsthand that anyone can really do amazing things said this. And what is incredible is that he truly believes it.
This is the idea that Engineering Brightness is instilling in students; they have the power do amazing and world-changing things. Tackling real-world problems such as light poverty, this student-lead after school program challenges students to use their time and talent to design, build and donate lanterns to communities that do not have a safe and reliable light source after the sun goes down.
But why? What would compel a group of middle school students to stay after school (by choice) and use entrepreneurial and critical thinking skills to help people they have never met?
“It makes me feel good to help others. To make the world a better place,” 14-year-old, Chris, said. “Engineering Brightness inspires me to keep working to help people. Because there is a lot that are less fortunate than us. It really inspires us to reach out and help them with whatever we can do. For us this is building lanterns”
Engineering Brightness was created in 2014 when three teachers, Tracey Winey, John Howe and Ian Fogerty, came together to figure out how to tap into the limitless potential in kids while giving them an opportunity to solve real problems. Tracey, John and Ian brought the idea of light poverty to students and gauged their interest in trying to solve this global problem. The students jumped at the challenge and began exploring HOW they could make an impact. The answer the students chose was to design and build lanterns.
“The goal of engineering Brightness is not to turn every kid into an engineer, but to allow kids to solve problems, be part of the solution and understand their neighbor whether they are next door or continents away,” said Tracey. “This generation of kids really want to work and they really want to make a difference and they will roll up their sleeves and get to work, but it has to be in meaningful things.”
And these kids work. Harnessing a child’s innate desire to give, Engineering Brightness fosters innovative and entrepreneurial thinking in students who want to be a part of something bigger through hands-on, kid-lead projects. Using design programs like Tinkercad, students design the top lid and bottom base of these lanterns, based on their groups’ feedback and research at the beginning of the year. The students 3D print these components and then set to work on the light board for the lanterns, soldering LED diodes and resisters to pre-purchased motherboards. After wiring the light boards to a rechargeable battery pack connected to a 12-volt charging port and on/off switch, the final touch is to slip a clear plastic tube onto the base and electrical components before securing both the base and lid with glue. Then comes quality assurance – will it turn on? How long will the batteries last? Are all of the lights lit?
The final product, a small yet powerful lantern, is then prepared for travel where it is handed off to a family worlds away, helping kids read, learn and dream using this safe light source. A big part of this program is getting feedback from those individuals who are using the lanterns. Sometimes students are able to Skype with schools or orphanages in order to hear what is going well and some of the challenges with the lanterns. Other times, students have to wait for a letter or note to come in the mail from communities where the lanterns are being used. But both forms of communication lend to this group of world changers’ ability to improve their product to help even more people living in light poverty.
“I really like when we are Skyping with [the other kids] and seeing the kids with the lanterns and they have the big smiles on their faces and they are just so happy about it,” said Kolby. “That is my favorite part because it just really wraps everything up, our school we made that and everyone we have been working with it all went together to make that. Seeing the final product and seeing the kids with it, it’s really neat.”
What makes this program so inspiring is how it effects these students, not just through technical and hands-on learning and application, but how it impacts their perspective on their ability to give and make a difference. “Engineering Brightness made me realize I can help someone in the world, that I can make a difference no matter my age or ability,” Ryan said. “I can find something I enjoy doing and that makes me happy and make a lot of other people happy. It is the greatest feeling.”
“Engineering Brightness allows kids to realize they CAN change the world,” Tracey said. “Not all these kids are going to go be electrical engineers. The desire is for all of these kids to know that they can make the world a brighter, better place.”
Engineering Brightness is available to any school interested. Currently in four schools in Northern Colorado and one in Canada, the program’s founders are eager to get as many kids interested and participated in making the world a brighter place. No need to be a master in electronics or engineering! The program is set up to help you and your class learn the technical pieces all while leveraging you and your students’ passions and talents to make a difference in the world. To learn more how to adopt the program in your classroom and community, click here or contact us!
“Anyone out there can do amazing things."
13-year-old middle school student, Ryan, who has seen firsthand that anyone can really do amazing things said this. And what is incredible is that he truly believes it.
This is the idea that Engineering Brightness is instilling in students; they have the power do amazing and world-changing things. Tackling real-world problems such as light poverty, this student-lead after school program challenges students to use their time and talent to design, build and donate lanterns to communities that do not have a safe and reliable light source after the sun goes down.
But why? What would compel a group of middle school students to stay after school (by choice) and use entrepreneurial and critical thinking skills to help people they have never met?
“It makes me feel good to help others. To make the world a better place,” 14-year-old, Chris, said. “Engineering Brightness inspires me to keep working to help people. Because there is a lot that are less fortunate than us. It really inspires us to reach out and help them with whatever we can do. For us this is building lanterns”
Engineering Brightness was created in 2014 when three teachers, Tracey Winey, John Howe and Ian Fogerty, came together to figure out how to tap into the limitless potential in kids while giving them an opportunity to solve real problems. Tracey, John and Ian brought the idea of light poverty to students and gauged their interest in trying to solve this global problem. The students jumped at the challenge and began exploring HOW they could make an impact. The answer the students chose was to design and build lanterns.
“The goal of engineering Brightness is not to turn every kid into an engineer, but to allow kids to solve problems, be part of the solution and understand their neighbor whether they are next door or continents away,” said Tracey. “This generation of kids really want to work and they really want to make a difference and they will roll up their sleeves and get to work, but it has to be in meaningful things.”
And these kids work. Harnessing a child's innate desire to give, Engineering Brightness fosters innovative and entrepreneurial thinking in students who want to be a part of something bigger through hands-on, kid-lead projects. Using design programs like Tinkercad, students design the top lid and bottom base of these lanterns, based on their groups' feedback and research at the beginning of the year. The students 3D print these components and then set to work on the light board for the lanterns, soldering LED diodes and resisters to pre-purchased motherboards. After wiring the light boards to a rechargeable battery pack connected to a 12-volt charging port and on/off switch, the final touch is to slip a clear plastic tube onto the base and electrical components before securing both the base and lid with glue. Then comes quality assurance - will it turn on? How long will the batteries last? Are all of the lights lit?
The final product, a small yet powerful lantern, is then prepared for travel where it is handed off to a family worlds away, helping kids read, learn and dream using this safe light source. A big part of this program is getting feedback from those individuals who are using the lanterns. Sometimes students are able to Skype with schools or orphanages in order to hear what is going well and some of the challenges with the lanterns. Other times, students have to wait for a letter or note to come in the mail from communities where the lanterns are being used. But both forms of communication lend to this group of world changers' ability to improve their product to help even more people living in light poverty.
“I really like when we are Skyping with [the other kids] and seeing the kids with the lanterns and they have the big smiles on their faces and they are just so happy about it," said Kolby. "That is my favorite part because it just really wraps everything up, our school we made that and everyone we have been working with it all went together to make that. Seeing the final product and seeing the kids with it, it’s really neat.”
What makes this program so inspiring is how it effects these students, not just through technical and hands-on learning and application, but how it impacts their perspective on their ability to give and make a difference. “Engineering Brightness made me realize I can help someone in the world, that I can make a difference no matter my age or ability," Ryan said. "I can find something I enjoy doing and that makes me happy and make a lot of other people happy. It is the greatest feeling.”
“Engineering Brightness allows kids to realize they CAN change the world," Tracey said. "Not all these kids are going to go be electrical engineers. The desire is for all of these kids to know that they can make the world a brighter, better place.”
Engineering Brightness is not only impacting students in Northern Colorado and around the world, the program is impacting adults, too! Otter products engineers have rallied around these students, volunteering their time and talent to help kids through the design process and even helped this group of incredible kids create a patent for their design.
Engineering Brightness is available to any school interested. Currently in four schools in Northern Colorado and one in Canada, the program's founders are eager to get as many kids interested and participated in making the world a brighter place. No need to be a master in electronics or engineering! The program is set up to help you and your class learn the technical pieces all while leveraging you and your students' passions and talents to make a difference in the world. To learn more how to adopt the program in your classroom and community, click here or contact us!