Our Design Principles

How we work

• Focus on problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, design process, communication skills, ethics, empathy, and professional courtesy.
• Identify and eliminate barriers to increase equitable access for all and increase belonging in STEAM environments.
• Explore new ways to partner across sectors.
• Continuous improvement – ethical data practices, data informed, evidence based research and evaluate what we do.
• Community centered, driven, and owned.
• We serve all people and encourage them to be lifelong learners.
• Value and Empower youth voice.
• Document what we do and how we do it.
• Continuous improvement – this work continues no matter who is leading it.
• Culture of collaboration – community over competition.
• Action oriented.
• Utilize the collective impact framework: common agenda, shared metrics, mutually reinforcing activities, continuous, transparent communication, backbone support/organization.
• Be good stewards of collective resources.
• Commit to a culture of learning in the ecosystem.
• Promote growth learning opportunities that incorporate real world and cross disciplinary connections.