Some of the brightest young minds from across Langley will be flexing their problem-solving muscles and putting their entrepreneurial skills to the test this spring at the District's IDEA Summit and IDEA X Challenge.
For the third time, the IDEA Summit (IDEA stands for Innovation, Design, Entrepreneurship, and Altruism) will be hosted by the District at the Langley Events Centre, with this year's event set for May 9.
The summit is a marketplace, of sorts, where groups of students - from elementary to middle school - show off their creations, and market them for sale to visitors. In the past, student booths have shown off creations such as hand-warmers, cell phone accessories, home-made jewellery, and educational toys. One year, a Grade 9 student designed a new, safer way to transport baby chicks, and now has a patent on her design.
This year, between 130 and 140 students are expected to take part in the marketplace.
"It's a huge event, and for the students, it's pretty mind-blowing for them because sometimes the ones who shine in this event are maybe students who haven't had the chance to shine elsewhere in their schools, so this is pretty cool," said George Kozlovic, who is the director of instruction for the Langley School District and one of the IDEA Summit organizers.
The students displaying their work at the IDEA Summit are chosen after impressing teachers and staff at entrepreneur fairs in their respective schools.
"It starts with them developing a product. They go through the design and thinking process, have a showcase at their school and then get recommended to go to the summit," Kozlovic said.
"The other piece that's neat about it is the excitement of the younger kids, who get to bring their money and actually go and buy stuff from the older kids. They wake up for school that day and they get so excited to bring their Toonie to the entrepreneur fair."
