Today we wrapped up the OpenWise Learning (OWL) Summer Immersive 2024. It was a day full of pride and excitement as our Scholars showed off their creativity and hard work. Over three weeks, from July 8th to 26th, our Scholars learned new skills in STEM and explored important topics in social and ecological justice through the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This summer, the program welcomed rising 6th, 7th, and 8th graders. We designed lessons to be fun, engaging, and easy to relate to, using games and group activities. Each Scholar worked on a MacBook Air running Fedora Linux. This gave them a chance to explore coding, web design, and computing. They also used Raspberry Pi boards and Pico microcontrollers to dive into electronics and hands-on projects.

Final Projects: Learning Meets Creativity

The final week was all about creating exciting projects. Each Scholar used their new STEM skills to tackle a real-world problem related to an SDG. Their projects were creative and thoughtful. Some examples included:

• Websites on topics like climate action and gender equality.
• Python Games to teach players about clean energy and reducing inequality.
• Electronic Models like automated systems for sustainable living.
• Musical Pieces coded with Sonic Pi and Python, using music to raise awareness about the SDGs.

On Presentation Day, parents and families joined us to see the Scholars’ hard work. Each Scholar explained their project with pride, showing how much they had learned and grown over the program.

After the Immersive: What’s Next?

Graduation isn’t the end—it’s just the beginning. Scholars took home their MacBook Airs to keep exploring STEM on their own. They are also invited to join the OWL STEM Leadership Corps, where they can work on bigger projects and learn even more.

Looking Ahead to 2025

This year’s Immersive showed how much hands-on learning can make a difference. We can’t wait for our 10th Annual Immersive in 2025. We plan to welcome more Scholars and continue helping them grow into confident STEM leaders.

Thank You

We want to thank everyone who made this summer special—our Scholars, their families, our volunteers, and supporters. Together, we’re helping young people grow into strong, thoughtful leaders.

Join Us in Making a Difference

As we plan for 2025, we need your help. Your support gives more kids the chance to learn and succeed in STEM.

Let’s keep building a brighter future—because every child deserves to shine.