Chicago Teens Try Their Hands at Fashion, Jewelry Design, App-building and More


Chicago Teens Try Their Hands at Fashion, Jewelry Design, App-building and More

Nearly 1,200 youth and family members from 71 different zip codes registered for a free and unique opportunity held recently at Jones College Prep to sample summer programs offered by 30 Chicago City of Learning (CCOL) partner organizations. As youth completed hands-on activities, they earned digital badges reflective of their interest and participation, which unlocked chances to win prizes.

The multi-part event was dubbed #UpwithChi Spring it Out by the CCCOL Youth Council, who also curated the Teen Lounge, where 13-19 year olds tried their hands at fashion and jewelry design, app-building, soldering and more. For the writers and musicians among them, a lively Open Mic was hosted by Marwin “Stark” Williams of HUEY Gang.

In the Maker Party filled with drop-in activities, youth 4-12 created a butterfly garden with the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, made toys and beds for dogs and cats living at The Anti-Cruelty Society, programmed video games and robots with Center for College Access and Success at NEIU, built balloon-powered cars with Scientists for Tomorrow, used poetry and visual arts to create multimedia with Border bend Arts Collective, and much more.

During an hour-long workshop hosted by Best Buy’s Geek Squad Agents, students explored the hidden code behind live websites. In another workshop, girls created light-up greeting cards with Digital Youth Divas, a program created by Digital Youth Network that links STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) to interests like fashion, art and dance.

Dr. J’Tia Hart, a nuclear engineer and former Survivor contestant, traveled from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Intelligence and Counterintelligence, to share her pathway from student to international model to a career in nonproliferation, preventing the spread of weapons. Also crossing state lines to be part of the event were several representatives of NASA Glenn Research Center, who helped youth create and test descent-copters and will return next month to train informal educators in their Let It Glide challenge in time for summer. Among other professionals on hand to interact with students were computer scientists and programmers a from Argonne National Laboratory.

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