Hello

updatED Design started with a spark of inspiration during a casual walk through the mall. My husband and I were wandering through the local shops when a store window display stopped me in my tracks. The setup was incredible – an array of colors, textures, and materials that felt like an invitation for creativity. I could immediately envision students at Anastasis Academy repurposing those materials in inventive ways, bringing them to life in prototypes and design projects.

 

Curious, I wondered aloud about what happened to the displays after the season ended. My husband looked at me and said, ‘I guarantee they get thrown away.’ That thought was hard to shake. So, I approached the store’s visual manager, hoping there might be a way to give the materials a second life. Unfortunately, my husband was right – all that potential was headed for the trash.

 

In that moment, the vision for updatED Design took shape. I realized we could be better stewards of these resources, turning what would be waste into something powerful for students. Through updatED Design, we partner with stores to rescue these items, bringing them into classrooms and maker spaces where students can reimagine, design, and prototype. It’s about sparking creativity, fostering sustainability, and enriching learning in ways that were once only imagined.

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-Kelly Tenkely, Founder