Some local teenagers spent their spring break, this week, developing solutions to some of San Diego’s biggest problems. Their hard work is now available most places you download your favorite podcasts.
The students from Kearny High School and Montgomery Middle School worked in teams to identify a local problem, interview expert civic leaders, and then prototype and pitch their solution to the community.
It was communicated in the form of a podcast that the students produced.
J.J. Clark is a freshman who was part of a team that tackled the issue of how to find a high-paying job in the aftermath of the pandemic devastation.
“The solution was we made a website to help people that weren’t qualified for a job to get the job or get the requirements for the job,” he said.
The student-produced podcasts are now available through the Impactful Sandbox platform.
“The Impactful Sandbox is an opportunity for teens in the Linda Vista community to partner and create local impact in their own neighborhoods on some of society's most challenging issues," said Lisa Dawley, executive director of the Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education at the University of San Diego.
"The participation of civic leaders, the mayor's office and other educational partners reinforce to teenagers that their ideas matter and they have the ability to make the world a better place, starting in their own communities,” she said.
“Our goal is for every student to leave the camp identifying as a social innovator who can make positive change in the world, and give them the skills, tools and connections to make that happen," she added.
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The Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education hosted the Innovation Camp in partnership with the San Diego County Office of Education and Cloudcast Media.
The pilot podcast program this week was a success, and there are plans to expand it across the county this summer.
Impactful Sandbox podcasts are available on Spotify, Google Podcasts, Amazon and iHeartRadio.
