When we look at the world around us, we can easily point out many problems and challenges facing society and our environment. These problems can be complex and often require critical thinking and innovative ideas to address. Stanley Black & Decker in partnership with Discovery Education has designed Innovation Generation to encourage students to explore creativity, design, and connection to become a problem solver in their communities and the world! Inspire the next generation of innovators to explore solutions that can impact their communities with the Making for Good Challenge and year-round resources from Innovation Generation. 

Making for Good Challenge 

Great solutions stem from great ideas! The Making for Good Challenge encourages young makers in grades 9-12 across the nation to innovate with purpose. Now through January 28, 2021, students working individually or in teams of two to four, are invited to develop a unique product design solution that will help solve an environmental or societal problem in their home, school, community or the global population.

To enter the challenge students must submit a 60-90 second video discussing their problem, demonstrating how the product can help solve it and reviewing their use of the 6-step engineering design process: ask, imaging, plan, create, test and improve. The first–place winner receives a total $15,000!

Parents can register students for the challenge at Innonvation-Gen.com, and students can explore additional resources to help them organize, plan and brainstorm for challenge entries. Entries are accepted through January 28, 2021! 

Resources That Inspire Innovation 

In addition to the ongoing challenge, Stanley Black & Decker also offers resources to help bring the world of STEAM to life and inspire students wherever learning takes place, all year long. 

• Classroom activities will engage and challenge students with real world problems in the world of robotics and sustainability. These standards aligned activities will include instructions, materials lists, and additional links for supplemental learning! 

• Career Profile videos will offer students an inside look at STEAM careers inside Stanley Black & Decker. Professionals will share the ways they use STEAM every single day at work and walk students through their path to success 
• Concept & Create Virtual Field Trip will take students on a journey into the Stanley Black & Decker Makerspace. Working alongside the experts, students will be inspired to be agents of innovation, and will see and experience first-hand how math, science, technology, creativity and teamwork can lead to technological advancements in our everyday lives.

Challenge your students to create change in the world around them and explore the ways STEAM is improving our lives with Innovation Generation! Find these resources and more on the Innovation Generation channel in Discovery Education Experience.