<aside> 🚧 Notice: this pillar is currently under construction, and details are subject to change.
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IDOT mentors provide resources and 1-on-1 support for student-driven passion projects.
There is no shortage of bright, novel, never-been-done-before ideas in high school students. However, there often is a lack of resources — time, money, experience, skills, and more. Students with passion projects that aim to better their communities are welcomed and encouraged to find a project mentor.
IDOT mentors are not meant to take over projects. Rather, they exist to support students — to empower them to lead the way, to encourage them to explore new approaches, to advise them to solve tricky problems. Support can be a lot of things, like funding to purchase materials, advice for navigating a new software, feedback when bouncing around ideas, or comfort when something goes wrong.
A project, too, can be a lot of things — from building an app that locates local businesses to designing a space-efficient temporary shelter, any project that aims to solve a human problem is eligible for mentorship. Students should draw from the human-centered design methodologies covered in the curriculum to help create exciting, effective, and empathetic projects.
Project mentorship applications will open later this year.