With the success of The Spur, the founder of Southampton’s first members-only co-working space and innovation lab has decided to focus on the world’s next generation of innovators – youth.
“As a Southampton resident and father of three young kids, we participate in plenty of weekend arts and sports programs, but there is nothing focused on innovation and technology for my children,” explained Ashley John Heather, Founder of The Spur.
Starting in March, The Spur will present i-kids, a weekly STEM based education program. Students will have the chance to take part in hands on learning using the latest innovation tools such as 3D printing, Augmented Reality, Robotics, App development and more.
“It is important to expose kids to these technologies as early as possible, as these innovations will heavily impact their future,” noted Greg Wilson Ph.D, Director of The Ross School Innovation Lab, who will be leading the i-kids program.
i-kids will launch on Sunday March 18. The workshops will take place from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., during which parents can enjoy brunch at The Spur, collaborate with other Spur members, or just relax.
“We have created i-kids to fill this void and ensure our kids have the right building blocks to be tomorrow’s innovators,” John Heather said.
The i-kids programming is geared towards kids aged 7 to 12.
“I am really looking forward to being exposed to innovative new technologies alongside my two girls,” added Phil Boeding from Sag Harbor. “The Spur sponsored a one day innovation brunch on MLK weekend and my kids loved it! The VR headsets were definitely a hit. They are definitely looking forward to i-kids Sundays at the Spur.”
Admission is free for Spur Weekender members’ children, $10 per child for i-hampton’s members, and $25 per child for non-members. Each class is limited to 15 children, so registering in advance is highly recommended.
The Spur is located at 256 Elm Street in Southampton, . For more information, visit www.thespur.com.