Identify a problem, and invent a solution. That’s what we’re all about.
The Spark That Started It All
This whole program started with 11-year-old Peter and his terrible, horrible, no-good, very boring day.
Stuck inside on a stormy winter afternoon, he decided to invent a way to turn his bedroom light on and off from bed. Dozens of attempts failed, but each one taught him something. When he finally figured it out, he was ecstatic, proud, and ready for more.
Once he solved the challenge, he immediately wanted two things:
- another problem to solve, and
- to see how his friends would solve the same problem.
He searched online for a program like that and found… nothing.
So he asked,
“Can we just make it ourselves?”
A Family Brainstorm and a Big Idea
That evening at dinner, we talked about summer plans. Our family loves trying new ideas and creative projects, so Peter’s question sparked something bigger.
What if he created weekly engineering any kid could try at home, and built a way for them to share their solutions?
Fun for kids. Easy for families. Completely kid-powered.
Peter agreed to give up two weeks of camp to fund the project. We launched Invent the Summer in 2019 as a family project, thinking a few friends might join us.
We had no idea what was coming next.
Kids Started Showing Up
Kids from all over began participating. They built, shared their creations, and discovered the joy of solving problems in their own way.
Youth Leadership Takes the Helm
As the program grew, Peter invited his friends to help, forming the Junior Board of Engineers. Over time, these young creators took on more responsibility, eventually creating the Senior Board of Engineers.
What started as a fun challenge project became a youth-led leadership pathway shaped by the kids growing through it.
Growing Responsively and Organically
A few years later, our youth leaders noticed a barrier: even with free challenges and simple materials, some younger kids needed support.
They asked, “Could we offer in-person workshops so more kids can try this?”
It was a big leap, and exactly the right one. Workshops opened the door to families who might otherwise never participate and led to a new role: paid Workshop Leaders, giving college students meaningful early teaching and leadership experience.
This evolution wasn’t planned. It grew naturally from listening to kids and letting them shape the program’s future.
Where We Are Today
What began as one kid’s invention on a snowy afternoon has become a youth-powered movement reaching hundreds of children each summer.
Today, Invent the Summer is:
- free and accessible
- powered by youth creativity and leadership
- rooted in real-world problem solving
- designed to grow with kids from early childhood through young adulthood
Every step of our program, from challenge design to workshop instruction, is touched by young people who once stood right where this story began.
Help Us Inspire More Young Creators
Be Part of What Comes Next
Invent the Summer started with one kid and one idea. Today, it grows through the support of volunteers, partners, and families who believe in creative problem-solving.
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