Author: Meghan McNamara

This past year saw exciting changes and growth for the Octavia Project. Our summer programs welcomed their largest cohort yet, we expanded our STEAM curriculum, and a new partnership brought increased visibility to our participants' work and annual showcase. As the year comes to a close, we want to thank everyone who has been a part of our community this … Continue reading We did all that, and more! 2023 Recap

This year, we hosted another incredible Summer Institute. Participants createdemergent maps, wrote speculative fiction stories, coded interactive games, and so much more. Each year, we compile a zine to celebrate and share our participants' work with the Octavia Project community.  We're elated to share with you this year's edition of Positive Obsessions. You can read the full zine here. During … Continue reading Announcing: Positive Obsessions 2023

This summer, our participants used HTML and CSS to code interactive online games based on their own stories. Choose from the list below to play through a selection of this year's games! "Garbage Island" by Cypress, Josephine & Leah "A Hardworker" by Noyoze Osakue "The World or Me" by Aneesa Ramautar "Enthralling Forest" by Rowan … Continue reading 2023 Summer Institute Twines

Watching our high school participants share their creations at our 9th Annual showcase was inspiring. Every seat in the room was filled. We spent the evening listening to stories, examining art, and interacting with games developed by our participants. It was a treat to experience the world through their eyes and learn about their hopes for the future. Photo Credit: Emmanuel Abreu Samarra, … Continue reading That’s a wrap on summer 2023

If you’re new to the Octavia Project, the combination of writing, STEM, and science fiction may not make sense. But each of these elements is a piece of the puzzle. Science fiction allows teens to see beyond their current reality, writing helps them define a better future, and STEM enables them to build it. Each … Continue reading Giving technology new meaning

This year we have the honor of our summer showcase being hosted by the Center for Art, Research and Alliances (CARA). Our showcase will be part of their bloom how you must, wild until we are free exhibition. Join us Thursday, August 3rd at 5:30 PM and learn first-hand how this summer has impacted our participants. This past week our campers … Continue reading Mark your calendars

The OP Institute and Camp are off to an electrifying start. Summer is for exploring, and our participants are doing just that. In the first three days of programming, our teens have delved into circuitry, creative practices, botany and started their book clubs. For more details on our first days of programming, continue reading, and follow … Continue reading Starting Summer with a Spark

We did it! Your support has made another summer of Octavia Project possible. In our programs, participants challenge and support each other to grow their artmaking, writing, and STEM skills while developing as leaders and changemakers. Whether you supported us by contributing to our annual campaign or spreading the word about our work, we want … Continue reading When community comes together…

Autumn, left, with Co-Teaching Fellow Cheyann Dear Octavia Project Community, I am writing to you as an Octavia Project alum and Teaching Fellow. This program has challenged me in ways I never expected. Entering the program as a cynical and soft-spoken tenth grader, I was prepared to keep to myself and explore the arts & … Continue reading A letter from OP alum & Teaching Fellow Autumn

Last weekend, an intimate group of alumni, volunteers, and community members gathered together for a cozy OP Community Chat. We talked with OP alumni Cheyann and Xylon about their experiences in our programs, what inspires them as creators, and what we can do to improve STEM education opportunities. You can catch the recording here. We … Continue reading Starting the new year with community!