Though we like to inspire young minds and designers as well as builders and makers on a daily basis to chase after innovation, today in particular, is National Innovation Day, a day that celebrates creative and innovative minds.
At the core of this celebration is innovation and National Innovation Day was created to encourage children and young people alike to not only be creative, but also innovative, too.
Every year on February 16, a celebration is held to recognize innovation and this year, we want to focus on the ingenuity and creativity that’s seen through the lens of idea people with different backgrounds.
Young Minds
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math make up the acronym STEM. Now more than ever, we’re seeing young minds being challenged – in a good way. Applying all four of these subjects into course lessons is, in turn, challenging these young adults to think outside-of-the-box and to channel their creativity and imagination to discover new innovation. Just take our friends at the Inventionland Institute for example. This project-based course introduces students to the critical entrepreneurial skills that are needed to succeed in the 21st century, all while working to “Inspire the creator within.” It’s through guidance and hands-on learning techniques that not only inspire, but also motivate this young generation of creative minds to follow their dreams and ideas.
Designers
In the eyes of designers, innovation is the lifeblood to which their creativity flows through. Innovation gives designers the motivation, ideas and ingenuity to take something that was once in their imagination and transform that thought into something tangible – into a piece of reality. Imagine how Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak must have felt after years and years of tinkering away in a garage to see the product that once lived in their minds right in front of them. These two innovators poured their own creativity and imagination into this product and designed the first ready-made home computer. To that point, our designers at Inventionland work tirelessly to discover, sketch and transform invention ideas. This is an integral part of the overall invention process.
Builders and Makers
Let us paint a picture. You’ve just stumbled upon a problem that as of that moment doesn’t have a solution. Being that you’re an innovative thinker, you begin to brainstorm ideas as to how you can solve this problem. Old computer parts, empty soup cans, rope from an old tire swing – to some, this sounds like nothing more than a pile of junk. But, to builders and makers, this pile of material is nothing short of gold. It’s with these materials that you can begin to build something that’ll hopefully solve an existing problem. For example, just take Prototype Builder Tommy “Bones” Werner, who uses Inventionland’s “Magic Bins” to fuel his innovative fire to turn nothing into something. It’s this creative energy that’s recognized and celebrated on National Innovation Day.
So today, as we celebrate National Innovation Day, we challenge you to challenge yourself and take the necessary steps to make your invention dreams closer to being reality!
Copyright Inventionland, 2016
