Two big Charlotte organizations are teaming up with nonprofit Digi-Bridge to promote STEM education among local students.
Honeywell International Inc. (NYSE: HON) and the Charlotte Hornets are partnering with Governors' Village STEM Academy students as they 3D design and print fashion accessories for professional basketball player Kelly Oubre Jr. The students have three weeks to create their products, culminating in a March 24 workshop to show the results.
After that, Oubre will wear the accessories at Hornets games on March 28, April 7 and April 10.
The process involves a lot of trial and error for students, said Alyssa Sharpe, CEO at Digi-Bridge. She and other instructors are providing real-time feedback on the designs. Students are learning about measurements and scale, functionality and production processes. They are also learning how to use new design software.
"Once the student is interested in a topic that we give them access to, we really want to bridge that excitement to further learning opportunities and real-world applications," Sharpe said. "We have to start thinking about ways we're going to prepare them for those careers."
Sharpe said the feedback students will receive from Oubre later this month will be an important part of the design process.
Jana Bacinska, a designer at Honeywell, is offering her expertise. She designs safety clothing, gloves and harnesses for industrial workers, and she has previous experience with clothing lines and sportswear.
Bacinska and Sharpe worked with students at a Feb. 26 kickoff event, advising them to think about the end user — in this case, Oubre — and what he would wear. Bacinska, who joined Honeywell six-and-a-half years ago, spoke with students about her own winding career path and encouraged them to be open to unexpected opportunities. She also noted the possibilities for 3D printing and textiles — a market that could transform the fashion industry.
"Ultimately, we're processing how this whole experience was for them and giving them opportunities to meet professionals like Jana, so that they can see themselves in this career," Sharpe said.
Students can then take more advanced courses when they get to high school, she noted.
Digi-Bridge, which launched in 2014, uses technology to provide STEM education for underserved students, offering STEAMLab programs, summer camps and robotics challenges in the Mecklenburg County area. It has helped more than 15,000 students and has about 25 partner schools.
