Schechter Westchester’s E2 (Engineering and Entrepreneurship) program has significantly increased its breadth over the last few years with the addition of a Tech-Style (textile) studio and FabLab (fabrication laboratory), and the near-doubling of its student population. But Upper School STEAM Director Dr. Danny Aviv also wants to increase the program’s depth by offering students opportunities that marry hearts and hands. This past December, he partnered with Tikkun Olam Makers (TOM) to host the first-ever high school Makeathon, where E2 students worked with Need-Knowers (people with disabilities) to identify and solve problems.
TOM, which was recently recognized by Forbes as one of “15 Technology Companies to Watch in 2018,” is part of the Reut Group, founded by Gidi Grinstein, which works to ensure the long-term existence of Israel and the Jewish people while also tackling some of humanity’s most significant challenges. Thus far, TOM has hosted 30 international Makeathons at the post-secondary and professional level, but SW’s was the first-ever high school event. “I always talk about Tech-un Olam,” said Aviv, “and TOM feels like the best way to have this capstone experience in a school where we’re moving more and more toward an engineering and design philosophy.”
On the first day of the Makeathon, E2 students were assigned to teams and paired up with a Need-Knower. The teams spent time getting acquainted with their Need-Knower and their particular challenge, working collaboratively with them to brainstorm possible solutions. Including the Need-Knower in the ideation phase is a unique and crucial part of the process that ultimately leads to a better, more personalized product. Once the team and the Need-Knower agreed on a solution, the students launched the design phase, bringing their ideas to life using SW’s INC MakerSpace and other resources to fabricate their ideas. All product designs must be open source and will eventually be made available on TOM’s web platform.
The Need-Knowers represented a wide range of ages and abilities including Josie Ganek, an adult whose vision issues affect her ability to walk safely; Roei Kronish-Maudlin, a four-and-a-half-year-old little person who has trouble utilizing the bathroom independently; Autumn Schutt, a young adult whose crutches make it hard for her to carry bags; and Spencer Wolff, a ninth grader from Mamaroneck High School who needs help carrying his books on his wheelchair. The teams came up with creative and effective solutions, such as the shelf they designed for Wolff’s wheelchair that provides easy access to his books while also keeping them safely in place. “[The team] listened to my concerns and created a great shelf…[with] a good basis to develop it even more,” said Wolff. “It was fun to collaborate with everyone…”
Dr. Aviv was thrilled with the inaugural Makeathon, which he feels benefited students in a variety of ways. “One of the most meaningful parts of this project for E2 students was having the opportunity to meet and interact with different kinds of people,” said Aviv. “They also found out that they are capable of accomplishing much more than they realized.” SW senior Eitan Abecassis agreed, saying “I think that this TOM Makeathon experience transcends just high school. We can really take what we learned here using our passions and what we love to really make a difference in the lives of others.”
Dr. Aviv has already identified improvements for next year that will make the event even more successful for both E2 students and Need-Knowers, with a goal of eventually including the whole SW community. He has also been asked to work as an advisor to TOM and write a high school curriculum for Grinstein, who hopes the program will inspire young people to host Makeathons at their colleges. “Schechter Westchester is the first secondary school to pioneer TOM’s vision of providing extremely affordable solutions for people with disabilities, the elderly, and other Need-Knowers by creating TOM products within their communities and ultimately delivering them,” said Grinstein. “I am thrilled that the school will become a base for sending off TOM community leaders to many college campuses.”
