As of January 1, 2018, stewardship of Hive Chicago will transition from Mozilla to a new local non-profit, the Chicago Learning Exchange (CLX). Hive Chicago will have a temporary home at the Chicago Community Trust until the transition to CLX is complete. The Hive is still the Hive. Read more here.

STEAM Studio

STEAM STUDIO is a pop-up design studio and maker space for youth.

STEAM STUDIO works with organizations and professional clients to create real world challenges where youth use a variety of design and production tools to create artifacts. After learning essential digital skills to make digital artifacts, youth work for one week alongside content mentors to respond to a challenge brief and produce a product. STEAM STUDIO participants also earn fashion focused digital badges in design, photography, collaboration, and project completion.

Youth have an opportunity to publicly showcase their creations at a Trunk Show with select designers winning future opportunities to reproduce or display work. In Fall of 2014, participating designers were able to showcase their designs as a part of Chicago Fashion Week at the Style Bias: Street Style event. Watch this video in a link below and learn more about STEAM Studio here!

Lead Organization:
Digital Youth Network

Partner Organizations:
FUSE

Project Goal:
STEAM Studio seeks to engage youth in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) through the lens of innovation, design, and pop-culture.

In using a real world, client driven challenge, STEAM Studio seeks to motivate and inspire young people to create and collaborate toward a tangible opportunity.

By engaging with mentors, STEAM Studio participants are able to see their creations through while applying design and digital skills and receiving real-time feedback and support.

Project Tags:
Legacy Projects

Project Portfolio

  • sample works

    STEAM Studio Website

    The home for all STEAM Studio collections, news, media! Take a look to learn more.

  • sample works

    STEAM Studio Youth Designed Collections

    Visit the collections page to view the designs and creations from 2014 and 2013.

  • media

    Chicago Fashion Week - Style Bias Video

  • tools

    Program Design Toolkit

    Composed by the STEM Studio team, this toolkit seeks to help organizations map program opportunities with youth to a city landscape and consider all potential partners to make the program real-world connected. Use the toolkit to develop a week long program that allows youth to learn, make, and showcase.

  • sample works

    STEAM Studio 2013 Video

    View the pilot experience of STEAM Studio 2013 by watching this video. Hear from the mentors about the use of science and technology in teaching design principles. Students also discuss why a week-long challenge helped sharpen their focus and work at an innovative pace.