"The Possible Zone" in Jamaica Plain preparing students to thrive in STEAM, business fields
BOSTON – A Boston education program is preparing young students to thrive in the working world by showing them anything is possible. It's called The Possible Zone.
"That progression from 'I could' to 'I can' to 'I am,' that's at the heart of our theory of change," said Gus Halwani, The Possible Zone chief STEAM and innovation officer.
What is STEAM?
STEAM stands for science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
At The Possible Zone (TPZ) in Jamaica Plain, they're preparing young people to thrive in STEAM and entrepreneurship fields.
"They have created a catalyst of sorts for me to express myself and take my ideas into reality," TPZ student Genaro Ortega said.
It's a free youth development program that helps high school students develop entrepreneurship mindsets, skills, and their identities to prepare them for innovative careers in the future.
"They come in and they start learning about the tools they have in the space and from there they have the opportunity to create and design their own business," TPZ vice president of education, curriculum, and instruction Yasenia Dudley said.
What students learn at TPZ
Ortega is in 11th grade and said that he likes the idea of having freedom in his future career. He doesn't want to be confined to a nine-to-five job, so at TPZ he's learning music production and fashion design.
"I want to take it to the highest level possible. I believe that my skills are enough to conquer the game," Ortega said.
TPZ works with many youths from under-resourced communities to dream, create, and grow. The students design and sometimes even launch their own businesses from the program using the state-of-the-art technology at the program.
"We know that underrepresented communities don't get to those fields that give you economic mobility, those STEAM fields," Halwani said.
They want to create a pipeline where students can see themselves in those fields.
"You can be given the skills you can be given the content, but if you don't see yourself in those fields and you don't see your community in those fields, you're not going to pursue it," Halwani said.
Reaching underrepresented youth
He said there are a lot of programs that teach STEAM skills to youth, but they haven't been as successful as TPZ at reaching underrepresented youth.
"The opportunity to be a part of that movement is not equally distributed even though the abilities and interest is there," Halwani said.
Some Boston Public Schools take their students to TPZ for a class period to utilize the organization's resources. Sometimes other students come after school for the program.
"They're creatives, they're learners, they really come into this space thinking about what they want to do. We show them all that is available here and from there they take the lead in exploring and designing something that centers around their desires," Dudley said.
Preparing students for college
TPZ said that 88% of students who participate in their program through senior year go to college.
"They could take their learnings here and apply them to classes they're taking in college or the career fields that they're interested in," Dudley said.
At the program, they provide mental health support, college and career planning, meals, and even a stipend for participating in the program.
The professionals who work with the program are working directly in STEAM fields and serve as role models for the students.
"If you have someone as a role model who does the thing then you have something to chase in front of you," Ortega said about his experience.
TPZ's goal is to provide students with everything they need to be successful in and after high school.
