I created this innovation because students and families in marginalized communities are often overlooked. With the advancement of technology and digital fluency skills, there are not enough programs designed to close the resource gap and provide opportunities for students and families to learn skill development and digital literacy while solving problems in their own backyard. Why does innovation create larger gaps in success for people of color?
Our program is 8-12 weeks, depending on the cohort of student-athletes. We provide in person, hybrid, or virtual weekly sessions that begin with something as simple as students reflecting on their own experiences. Tying in those experiences to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and prompting students to leverage AI and technology to conduct research on issues or challenges their community/community members are facing. Then we ask students to think about what sustainable tool they can design, create and activate to solve the issue. In the phase of prototyping, students are also learning about design thinking, branding, and algorithms (step by step instructions), exposing them to 21 Century skills. Students then choose their Industry certification pathway, this allows us to differentiate the tools we encourage students to use (AI, Microsoft Copilot, Cybersecurity, Drones). These certification pathways are essential to our program, as it provides workforce development and skills our students can leverage during and after the innovation/program is completed. The entire program ends with students presenting their prototype, and digital portfolios shark tank style to a panel of industry leaders from Microsoft, Pearson, Adobe for Education and stakeholders from their own community.
It's been spreading through social media, my relationships with schools globally, and at conferences. I use my keynotes and breakout sessions to make others aware that this innovation exists.
This innovation is modified to meet the needs of ever individual cohort. Recently we've been tasked with creating this innovation to support teacher certification in Nigeria (500 educators) and knowledge of culturally responsive project-based learning. We've taken an innovation created for students and challenged ourselves sto think of all the necessary skills teachers will need to effectively learn how to teach our innovation in their own classrooms.
You can contact me directly at YaritzaV@mckenziesadventures.com and I can give you access to the asynchronous pathway/LMS we created to ensure that our innovation is accessible to all students around the world, with respect to access to tech, time zones, and travel.
