LPS ‘Bay High’ to partner with Studio Innovation

LINCOLN, Neb. (COLOGNE) – They could be future architects, photographers or other entrepreneurs in Lincoln, thanks to LPS and other city resources.

LPS juniors and seniors at the opening ceremony Bay High Program Focus Thursday to check out the exciting space that will one day be part of the program, where they can turn their creative ideas into reality: the UNL Innovation Studio.

The partnership between Bay High and the studio is still a work in progress, but it will allow students to use equipment they may not have access to at their high schools or even at Bay High. Thursday was a familiarization tour of the Innovation Studio. The students even got to use a vinyl cutter for a sticker project.

Here’s how the studio can help them. For a student interested in something like architecture, they can use the software at Bay High and then go to the studio and create something real. Program leaders say it’s an opportunity for students to take an idea and expand on it.

“Students have these ideas of things that they want to prototype, build, and potentially sell to start a business with,” said Jerry Rife of the Nebraska Innovation Studio. “Well, now they’ve realized that there’s actually a facility today that can facilitate that second half of their ideas: ‘How do I do this?’ Where do I do this?’”

The partnership is still in its final stages. Organizers still need to work out details such as the schedule and funding for other equipment that will be needed. For example, if a student is interested in jewelry design, there is an option to bring a jewelry machine, provided there is funding from external donors.

The studio should be available to students by the next academic year. Currently, there are about 70 kids in the Bay High program, which currently has room for about 85 spots. It is open to all LPS juniors or seniors.

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