Big Idea Week is an innovative program that immerses children into the entrepreneurial mindset and gives them a glimpse of how it feels to bring an idea to life.
Big Idea Week began in 2013 as a collaboration between Brooklyn’s DUMBO Improvement District and Flocabulary, which uses hip hop to teach kids about things like dividing fractions or the history of ancient Egypt. This year, the program expanded to 10 schools around the city. The goal is to create a spark that keeps them on the path of wanting to get into STEM (science, technology, engineering and math)
Mentorship is a big part of Big Idea Week, and at the kickoff event last week, 40 mentors from various tech firms talked to the kids about what they do. For the next three days, students worked through the Big Idea Week lesson plan in groups of 3 or 4. With the guidance of their teachers, students brainstorm ideas, make sketches and models, and practice their own pitch presentations. The week comes full circle with a final assembly where students are the presenters. Mentors return to the school to hear the students pitch their ideas and to provide feedback on the products and presentations.
As a culminating event, students have the opportunity to visit the founders at their offices for a tour and more Q&A. Students learn about how creative startup companies work and see the tools that entrepreneurs use to bring their ideas to life.
In the last two years, one product from each Big Idea Week has been selected to be prototyped. The first was a pillow and blanket combo perfect for staying warm on long bus rides. Another was an app, called Fashion Zip-Zap, that knows all your clothes and suggests outfits.
Sources: stemschool.com, bigideaweek.org, money.cnn.com