Designing for Belonging and Becoming in an Afterschool Tinkering Program

By Meg Escudé, Edward Rivero, and Jake Montano

After spending the morning gathering materials—butcher paper, markers, wooden stands, power drills, screws— and discussing our expectations for the next hour and a half with students, we enter the afterschool center, situated one block from city hall and another block from one of the city’s oldest public housing neighborhoods. Today is a showcase day, where participants will share their foam derby cars with other club members and staff.

Tags: Engagement, Youth Development, Interventions, Outcomes, Partnership, Theory, Social Emotional