KC brings learning to life for students of all ages.

By ANN CLIFFORD

Albert Einstein famously said that “learning is experience,” and KC’s wide and varied range of educational programs definitely takes this to heart. From elementary and high school through higher ed and workforce development, students of all ages have countless opportunities to bring learning to life.

Discover

IDEA Space KC’s mission is to spark the imaginations of K-12 students around Innovation, Discovery, Entrepreneurship and Arts. The thoughtful and accessible curriculum includes after-school and summer programs, as well as partnerships with area schools and nonprofits.

aSTEAM Village inspires K-12 students and adults to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM) through hands-on learning programs, including robotics, video gaming and engineering.

Dive In

Real World Learning (RWL) is a community initiative launched by the Kauffman Foundation to help students prepare for life after high school through immersive projects and internships with local employers. For example, Pro X, just one of the many RWL options, is a five-week summer internship that enables students to gain professional experience, along with a monetary stipend and academic credit.

LaunchCode works with KC tech companies to identify workforce needs, providing free tech education and job readiness training to students of all ages. Upon completion of the program, graduates are directly connected with local apprenticeships and jobs.

Start Up

Startland Education focuses on helping students embrace human-centered design thinking and social change through real-world learning by offering innovation challenges, pitch competitions and access to internships.

Venture for America is designed for KC’s entrepreneurial-minded students. The program gives recent college grads invaluable firsthand experience through two-year fellowships with local startups. n