Working towards a sustainable and equitable future means providing our youth with the tools needed to build their own futures. Here at Ecolibrium3, we’re excited to be sponsoring a new initiative that aims to do just that!
Our new program, named Outside the Box, will offer free programming to middle school students in the Lincoln Park community. Keeping the spirit of the neighborhood’s tagline #craftingsomethinggreat, workshops and activities organized through Outside the Box will revolve around building, design, and craft; and local mentors will emphasize a focus on creative problem solving and design thinking processes. The program plans to employ leaders of communities that are continuously underrepresented, and help students build meaningful relationships with mentors.
By placing Lincoln Park students at the forefront of design solutions, Outside the Box hopes to build equity in West Duluth and introduce a higher percentage of low income or underrepresented youth to fields in design and the trades; allowing them to explore potential career paths that they may not have realized existed.
Workshops will include anything from building your own hula hoops to larger scale projects for the community, including the Lincoln Park Community Solar Garden currently under development by Ecolibrium3.
Ecolibrium3 is partnering with local architect Tiersa Wodash and designer Rachel Wagner who will direct the program. They are hard at work in its first year of development, interviewing numerous stakeholders and putting together the tools needed to make this initiative successful.