Design It! gives kids hands-on problem solving experience

Robertson students are tapping into their natural creative instincts with Design It!, an after school program run by the YMCA and funded by a grant from Mayor Scott Avedisian’s office.

A flier and permission slip for Design It! says the program “recognizes and extends students’ natural tendency to construct things from simple, familiar materials.”

“The activities it provides are deliberately structured to provide opportunities for students to design, construct and test models of technological significance using familiar materials and tools with the overall goal of helping them develop some understanding of the general problem solving process called design,” it continues. “The activities build a foundation for the acquisition of concepts in engineering and science. During Design It!, students will identify and define problems, gather and analyze information, generate and evaluate solutions, and pinpoint successful outcomes.”

Jason Spencer, who’s been doing the program with the YMCA for two years and instructed the children, said that in Design It! much of what students choose to build and materials to use is all up to them. It helps children to develop problem solving strategies and skills that they can use later in life, he added.

On Friday, the roughly 20 students had to create a blanket that would keep water bottles warm. Spencer would fill the bottle with hot water later and find out which blanket was the most effective in keeping the water warm. One student eagerly asked if they could “sabotage” another team’s blanket. The answer to that was, thankfully, not affirmative.

After brainstorming ideas, students got to work making their blankets out of plastic wrap, cardboard, newspaper, cotton balls and duct tape. There was occasional confusion over “who stole the scissors,” but all the groups managed to complete their blankets.

In their third week of the program, the third and fourth grade students participating were excited to describe Design It! as “the most funnest thing ever.”

“It’s so much fun,” said third grader Sabrina Chen. “I love building and creating stuff.”

Another student, fourth grader Haylee Marandola, described how the week before they had made igloos with marshmallow walls.

“If you put the effort in, you can do it,” she said.

Others agreed that the program is “challenging” but fun. They look forward to their next three sessions.