Fort Collins, Colorado
Engineering Brightness is a teacher created concept that harnesses the potential of youth to impact authentic global challenges. About 1 billion people worldwide live without access to clean, reliable sources of light. Engineering Brightness was created after Tracey Winey and her students had partnered with orphanages in Uganda and in the Philippines to provide biomass stoves. At the same time, John Howe and Ian Fogarty had brainstormed ways to fight light poverty. Tracey, John and Ian joined forces and Engineering Brightness was born in 2014!
Multi aged students worldwide work with and industry leaders and community members to design a safe, hand held, 3D printed, self-contained, solar charged lantern. Mechanical and electrical engineering skills are not only learned, but applied, and refined using the design thinking model. Global collaboration is established through various means: Skype, in country visits, guest speakers, email and hand-written letters.
Currently, Engineering Brightness is in nine different countries. Feedback has been recorded and shared on the lanterns. Every person involved in Engineering Brightness has learned how to be an engineer, philanthropist, and positive local and global citizen.