Back to News & Events July 30, 2024

Students Dive into Clean Energy & Converse Design Processes

TPZ Students Explore Clean Energy!

Two students thumbs up clean energyThis month’s inaugural Clean Energy exploration was a great success and The Possible Zone (TPZ) team is thrilled with the engagement our first cohort showed with both their learning progression and the challenging content. Students took a deep dive, from never having built circuits, to not only building and testing a wide array of power generation examples, but also the measurement tools and techniques utilized in clean energy. TPZ, with the generous funding from National Grid, was able to create a learning experience that was highly relevant to the sustainable energy industry.

Over the two weeks, teens built wind, mechanical, and solar generating arrays, and soldered together multiple projects and circuits to support the discovery. At the heart of the student experience was a hand-crank cellphone charger that students built and then experimented with to test alternate power sources, such as a solar cell array they soldered together. Students used the Microbit microcontroller to “switch” their grid power sources and model how our energy grid draws power from different generation sources depending on demand and supply conditions. The students also built a small electric car from the ground up that gave them the chance to look at some of the basics of how modern electric vehicles consume and … READ MORE>

BREAKING NEWS!

State Funding for TPZ’s Pathways to Clean Energy

Solar Panel Set up

This past Monday, Governor Maura Healey signed the Fiscal Year 2025 Massachusetts state budget; in it includes a line item for TPZ! It provides, “that not less than $200,000 shall be expended to The Possible Zone to implement an Innovative Pathways program in Clean Energy/ Advanced Manufacturing for high schoolers in grades 10-12, creating equitable opportunities for underserved student populations.” We are proud to be a recipient of this state earmark, which supports our emerging career-readiness and career-attainment initiatives.

Students Immerse in the Converse Design Process

Nearly three dozen high school students dove deeply into Converse’s design process over the last two weeks, transforming ideas into personal apparel and footwear collections. Teens worked side-by-side with more than 20 Converse employees, including graphic designers, color specialists, sneaker designers, product operation specialists, visual merchandisers, store managers, and interns.

Working in teams and coached by TPZ educators and STEAM staff and the Converse mentors, students developed designs that served a different consumer muses. Young people from across Boston refined design concepts before Converse artists transformed the sketches, words, and ideas into digital assets that became the building block of custom t-shirts.

Students also explored the sneaker industry and customized their own pairs of Chuck Taylors to reflect their identity and uphold their consumer muse. At the conclusion of the Deep Dive, students showcased their pieces in a gallery walk while networking and strengthening their social capital with Converse team members, TPZ staff, and families.

This was the third consecutive year that Converse partnered with TPZ to offer the popular summer program. Building on prior years’ successes, more students were able to … READ MORE>

 
 

Fall Youth Entrepreneurship Summit

Registration is now open for our Youth Entrepreneurship Summit for Boston teens, ages 14-19, scheduled for Saturday, September 28th, at TPZ’s Innovation Center. Learn more>

 

2024 Alumni Survey: Coming to Your Inbox in August

This August, our Research & Evaluation Team, in partnership with our Alumni Engagement office, is administering the biannual Alumni Survey. Feedback from alumni helps us to understand how TPZ has impacted alumni lives, as well as ways we may continue to improve all that we do to help advance economic equity. If you are a TPZ alumni and have changed your email address or do not receive a survey, please contact Andrea Miranda, Senior Director of Volunteers & Alumni Engagement. Thank you!