👋 Who is this for?
Middle and high school students who are curious, creative, and want to turn their interests into real-world projects or businesses.
You do not need a perfect idea yet. This month is about exploring and finding a spark.
🎯 Learning Goals
- Identify personal interests, strengths, and values.
- Notice problems and opportunities in your school, home, and community.
- Practice turning complaints into “How might we…?” questions.
- Choose one idea to carry forward into the rest of the program.
📅 Weekly Breakdown
Week 1
Week 1 – What do I care about?
- Make a list of things you enjoy: hobbies, subjects, games, apps, sports.
- Write about a “perfect day” and what you are doing in it.
- Circle 3–5 themes that show up again and again.
Reflection: What topics would you be happy to talk about for 30 minutes without getting bored?
Week 2
Week 2 – Problems around me
- Walk through a normal school day and list every small annoyance.
- Talk to 2–3 friends and ask: “What is something that frustrates you every week?”
- Group problems into categories: school, home, online, community.
Week 3
Week 3 – From problem to opportunity
- Choose 3 problems that feel important or interesting to you.
- For each one, rewrite it as a question:
“Homework is confusing” → “How might we make homework easier to understand?” - Brainstorm at least 5 quick ideas, even if they seem silly.
Week 4
Week 4 – Choosing your project idea
- Create a simple scorecard with three columns: Fun, Useful, Doable.
- Score each idea from 1–5 in each column.
- Pick one idea that scores well and that you are excited about.
🚀 Project for this month
Create a one-page “Spark Sheet” that answers:
- The problem: What is happening now?
- Who it affects: Who feels this problem the most?
- Why it matters: Why is this a big deal?
- Your early idea: How might you help?
You can write this in a doc, slide, or on paper and take a photo.
💭 Final Reflection
- What did you learn about what you care about?
- Which problem surprised you the most?
- If you had to explain your idea to a 10-year-old, what would you say?
🌟 Extra Credit
- Interview an adult (parent, teacher, coach) about problems they see.
- Ask them which of your ideas they think is most interesting and why.
- Update your Spark Sheet with anything new you learned.