Inspiring the next generation of inventors

Samaria and jocelyn present their invention at the event.

This past spring, CYC youth once again participated in the Chicago Student Invention Convention. The 18 children involved were challenged to look at a problem in their lives, and then create a solution to that issue.

Like many children, 7-year-old Jocelyn sometimes struggles to wake up in the morning. Her alarm isn’t loud enough to wake her up, sometimes causing her to be late for school. This problem led Jocelyn, who attends CYC-Rebecca K. Crown Youth Center in South Shore, to partner with Samaria to create the Glitter Bed for the Chicago Student Invention Convention.

The Glitter Bed is comfy and colorful, but more importantly, it doubles as an alarm clock. The entire mattress vibrates until the sleeper is awake and ready to begin the day. Jocelyn and Samaria both love glitter and thought that the shimmery pink Glitter Bed prototype they created would be extra effective in waking them up early for school.    

Steven Willis, STEM Manager, said participating in the Chicago Student Invention Convention cultivates professional skills such as collaboration, communication, and ideation within youth. The club not only pushed kids to come up with a solution for a daily problem, but it asked them to develop their own prototype of the invention and have a presentation ready for judges.

“It really challenges them to think about how to solve problems, and that’s a skillset they can apply to many different parts of their lives,” Steven said. “The more they are pushed, the bigger capacity they have to create solutions and become mature, successful adults.”

CYC is able to provide STEM clubs and mentoring through the support of organizations such as ArcelorMittal, Chicago Foundation for Women, Motorola Solutions Foundation, Polk Bros. Foundation., and Zakat Foundation of America. Thank you for your generosity!

When the big day came to present their invention, Jocelyn’s mother was surprised at how big the Chicago Invention Convention was. But Jocelyn was unfazed.

Jocelyn said that she wasn’t nervous at all when presenting to the judges. She felt proud and excited to be able to share her invention with others. Jocelyn’s hard work and communication skills paid off; the Glitter Bed project was awarded honorable mention.  

Read about how our youth did in last year’s Chicago Student Invention Convention here!

Meet Lorenzo: Caring gardener and future police officer

Kindness is extremely important to Lorenzo.

The 9-year-old wants to be a police officer someday to protect people in his neighborhood.

But he is already working to better his community. One of Lorenzo’s favorite clubs at CYC-Fellowship House in Bridgeport is gardening. Just last week, Lorenzo was planting flowers in pots to beautify the neighborhood.

“It’s important to plant seeds so we can have more food to live, and so we can plant trees to help us breathe,” he said.

Lorenzo cares deeply about the people around him and always steps up to help where it is needed, said Dushunda Henderson, Center Director at CYC-Fellowship House. 

“We respect people by being kind to them and by helping them,” Lorenzo said.

It is clear where Lorenzo’s strong affection for his neighborhood comes from. Both of Lorenzo’s parents attended CYC-Fellowship House as children, and are active on the Center’s Local Board today.

That sense of community only blooms at the Center. CYC-Fellowship House youth actively participates in community service projects.

“The Center provides an important outlet for children like Lorenzo to not only help their community, but the world,” Dushunda said. “Our summer programs give kids a safe place to explore their interests.”

This summer, Lorenzo looks forward to making art, playing sports, swimming, and going on field trips.

"I have a lot of fun at CYC," he said.

Meet Tatiana: Bright student and tomorrow's nurse

Tatiana, 7, can’t pick just one favorite subject.

“My favorite area at CYC is the reading area, and then I also like the Maker Lab because you get to make new inventions…. And my favorite part of math is learning timetables and finishing the problems!”

When asked if there’s anything she doesn’t like, Tatiana, who attends CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center in North Lawndale, responds with a resounding “no.”

“The more you learn, the smarter you get!” she said.

CYC youth worker Karen Knox said Tatiana loves a challenge, and once she puts her mind to a project, she works until she accomplishes it. It is easy to spot Tatiana’s hunger for knowledge, and CYC’s broad range of programs nurtures her love for learning even during summer break.

“It’s really important to give children that extra boost,” said Karen. “Coming here to not only do fun activities, but also academic ones gives her an extra drive.”

During the summer months, Karen has seen much growth in youth attending CYC programs.

“By seeing the role models at the Center, kids start carrying themselves as leaders, and begin helping out and working hard,” she said. “It’s a safe haven for the children.”

Tatiana’s dream is to be a nurse like her hero: her mom.

“I love CYC because they help you, teach you new things, and give you a lot of information so you can pay attention and get it all right,” Tatiana said with a big smile on her face.

Meet Cameron: Determined inventor and avid learner

When Cameron talks about the Maker Lab at CYC-Elliott Donnelley Youth Center in Bronzeville, his eyes immediately light up.

“I would guarantee that no kid would ever say that they are bored at CYC because there is so much to do,” said Cameron.

CYC STEM Manager Steven Willis said that the 14-year-old is mostly drawn to activities that require planning, research, and analytics.

Last summer, Cameron joined the Fashion Design club because it sounded interesting and gave him a chance to expand out of his comfort zone.

Because the club required team work, it helped Cameron come out of his shell.

“He really flourished in terms of getting along with his peers,” Steven said. “I think it’s the fact that he realized there were other teens who had the same interest as him. That’s one of the real beauties of our program here: there is so much diversity with the students in terms of their skillsets and their abilities.”

Cameron said over the nine years he has been coming to CYC, the best skills he has picked up are time management, self-control, courage, and independence.

“CYC is a place where people want to be,” said Cameron, who is the youngest of four siblings who have attended the Center. “It’s a place to relax and learn at the same time. It’s like a family.”

Meet India: Ambitious musician and future doctor

It is 5:30 p.m. on a Thursday, and 11-year-old India is focused intently on her viola.

It is a little tough, but she needs to pluck the strings on her instrument in the correct order before she can even whip out her bow.

After the second or third attempt, she gives a triumphant grin as she masters the notes.

For the past three years, India has been learning the violin and viola through music programs offered at CYC-Rebecca K. Crown Youth Center in South Shore. Her strong passion for music translates perfectly to her love of the dance club, which she will participate in during the summer.

“It makes me feel like I can do anything, and I can believe in myself,” India said.

India, who has been attending CYC for four years, said she has a lot of fun with all the different activities that are offered at the Center—especially during the summer months.

“It’s important to keep her engaged through the summer because she’s very intelligent,” said Kiana Lewis, CYC Out-of-School Time youth worker. “To provide support year-round, helps kids feel supported.”

When India grows up, she wants to be a doctor to “help homeless people and destroy diseases.”

She plans to implement her music education in a very special way: “If my patients need music, I’ll play it for them,” she said with a soft smile.

The many sides of gardening

CYC kids aren’t afraid of getting their hands a little dirty.

Whether they’re growing their own vegetables, beautifying their neighborhoods, or learning about the environment, CYC’s various gardening programs immerse children in a broad variety of subjects.

While the weather is chillier, the children at CYC-Sidney Epstein Youth Center in North Lawndale are learning about seed viability. Out-of-School Time Manager Kim George said the weekly gardening class uses three simple tools for this: a seed, a damp paper towel, and sunlight.

By wrapping a seed in a damp paper towel within a sandwich bag and taping it to the window, the kids are able to closely monitor if the seed is sprouting.

“They talk about how long it takes for a seed to germinate, then they count out and set up a timeline for when they expect the seeds to grow,” Kim said. “If the seeds are growing, we know they are viable and will work well in a garden.”

By marking how many seeds germinate, the kids are also able to calculate the probability that a plant will successfully grow in their garden.

“Gardening is very academic,” Kim said. “It’s a good hands-on-way of learning different topics. There are simple things like having practice counting, and other parts like monitoring weather.

Aside from the strong math and science components of gardening, youth are also learning good nutrition habits, facts about the environment, skills like patience and persistence, and an appreciation for community engagement.

“I like to learn about plants and how they grow,” said Clayton, 8. “It is important because we need plants to survive.”

Later this month, the children will present about seed viability and youth gardening at the Chicago Community Gardeners Association Conference.

“This will be their third time presenting,” Kim said. “It’s just really encouraging for them.”

Last fall, the garden at CYC-Epstein also received the Chicago Excellence in Gardening Award.