Since moving to NYC and making our home in Brooklyn, I’ve really come to appreciate Brooklyn for so many things. One of them being a sense of community and living resourcefully, others being emphasis on education, fostering creativity in children, and exploring different perspectives. The latter being what often sticks out to me most. In response to our wonderful Brooklyn culture, many unique and diverse programs have developed. That’s why I’m so excited to tell you about a new program to Brooklyn called 8 and Up.
8 and Up is an educational program dedicated to teaching creativity and entrepreneurship to kids in a hands-on, fun way, using gadgets, games, and 3D printers. Their goal is to start a creative movement by encouraging young people to use digital and physical media to bring their ideas and creations to life.
Founder Reuben Steiger said, “Watching our kids growing up in the Google Age we realized that memorizing answers was becoming less important than knowing how to ask interesting questions. Playing games and writing code are now just as important as reading books and learning math.” Steiger’s Eureka moment came when a friend’s daughter told him about a duct tape wallet company she had started. “I realized that the entrepreneurial impulse is universal and that every kid’s journey begins by asking the question “What If?”
Following a successful pilot program in Princeton, New Jersey, 8 and Up is coming to Brooklyn starting October 10th. The theme for this session is “Trash to Treasure” and focuses on seeing everyday items differently. Visit their course information page for more details.
Classes will be offered on Thursday afternoons from 4 to 5:30 PM and twice on Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 AM or 2 to 3:30 PM at the New York Media Center located at 28 John Street in DUMBO. For information about the center see Mayor Bloomberg’s announcement here.
The cost is $350 for six sessions including a $50 “seed capital” students can use as their working budget. Financial assistance in the form of scholarships are available. Contact Christina Walden for more information or for other questions about the program and registration at contact@8andup.com. Space is limited to 16 per class and occurs on a first come first serve basis so reserve your spot today!
Additional program details and registration can be found at www.8andup.com.
Welcome to our Brooklyn community 8 and Up! We hope you stick around!