Lexington, MA (PRWEB) April 20, 2016
In April, through LCA’s Academic Advising program, seven students had the opportunity to shadow LCA alum Tim Tocci (’04), Product Designer at Continuum Innovation, a Global Design Consultancy in Newton, MA. Students were selected by their teachers based on their strong demonstrated interest in art and design combined with their performance in math and science. They had the opportunity to learn how many diverse areas design expertise can apply to. Whether it was inventing a mop with a disposable pad, a squeezable sour cream container that eliminates the need for a spoon or a newly designed core curriculum model for a local college, students learned how innovative thinking can lead to products and to experiences that enhance life and opportunities for people in all walks of life.
Students learned from experts in the areas of conceptual design, human factors engineering, design strategy and how that interfaces with software and mechanical engineering. They were taken through the design process from ideation to product launch and even tried their hand at the challenging exercise of brainstorming out-of-the-box ideas for a common household item such as dog food. Continuum Innovation conducted small focus groups with the students to research teenage perspectives that will inform a real-life project that the company is currently working on.
"I didn't realize how much goes into the process of design. I knew that there were large scale design projects like buildings, and I knew there were small scale designs, but I didn't know it included things like diabetes devices and university programs. After the visit, I realize everything is a result of design." -Jamie Bowdring '19
"I've always been interested in art and wanted to incorporate that into my future career. I was also interested in engineering and thought I had to choose one or the other. In going on the trip to Continuum, it showed me how the two work together and it's not as 'either-or' as I thought." -Chase Krivakas '17
“Connecting current LCA students with an LCA alum such as Tim offers them the opportunity to learn how he used his LCA experience to help inform his college and career choices. Shadowing opportunities like this that connect students’ interests to real life careers can help students have a clearer picture of their own interests and give them a larger vision for how they should approach their studies,” commented Jean Noh, Academic Advisor.
Over a casual lunch, students enjoyed the opportunity to ask candid questions about what courses or majors they should study if they wanted to pursue a career in industrial design, what colleges or universities are recognized by companies such as Continuum Innovation, what kind of work hours are required of product designers and what are some things students could do while still in high school to set them on the right path.
Students in attendance were:
Chase Krivakas (’17) of Winchester
Jamie Bowdring (’19) of Lexington
Clark Jin (’19) of Lexington
Emily Zhou (’19) of Lexington
Tracy Yang (’19) of Waltham
Rose Hodges (’19) of Winchester
Zachary Tucci (’19) of Winchester
Lexington Christian Academy is an independent college preparatory school that exists to educate young men and women in the arts and sciences in the context of a complete commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.