Fueling curious young minds through hands-on STEM exploration, the C.R.E.A.T.E. (Collaboration to Realize Equity and Teach Engineering) program is sparking big ideas—and even bigger dreams—for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Austin Area youth. Powered by a dynamic partnership between BGCAA, Emerson, and Thinkery, this afterschool initiative is designed to inspire and prepare a more diverse pipeline of future engineers through play-based learning, youth development, and family engagement.
Throughout the school year, Club members dove into weekly engineering activities that introduced the Engineering Design Process—a cycle of asking questions, brainstorming solutions, building prototypes, testing, and improving ideas. From collaborative group projects to real-world problem-solving challenges, BGCAA youth had the opportunity to step into the shoes of engineers and explore what it takes to design solutions that impact their communities.
This year’s theme centered on helping the environment, prompting members to brainstorm ideas like reducing plastic waste and preventing ocean pollution. In small teams, they imagined creative ways to make a difference and brought their solutions to life through hands-on projects. Whether it was building sustainable models or crafting prototypes from recycled materials, each group showcased their ingenuity, collaboration, and growing confidence.
“We were brainstorming ideas on how to help the environment like finding ways to not throwing plastic in the ocean so they can keep growing and give us oxygen.”
To continue supporting access to STEAM experiences beyond the Club, every participating Boys & Girls Club family also received a free annual Thinkery membership, opening the door to year-round exploration, creativity, and growth. This school year, nearly 1,500 youth from 21 different BGCAA Clubs participated in 18 inspiring field trips to the Thinkery—making hands-on STEM learning more accessible, engaging, and unforgettable.
“The Thinkery project was an incredible experience. The kids loved thinking outside the box, and seeing their own work on display made them feel proud. They truly enjoyed the field trip, and we even got our teens involved by having them build a robot and learn firsthand how powerful it is to bring a vision to life.”
—Daveya McDonald, Home Club Director
Want to help fuel the future of STEM at BGCAA? Learn more and support programs like this at bgcaustin.org.
