Participating in the Stanford ASES Ideathon Launchpad event was an electrifying dive into the world of educational technology. As a high school student, I was swept up in a whirlwind of innovation, collaborating with peers, learning from industry leaders, and flexing my creative muscles. This two day ideathon took place May 6th to May 7th.
The event's spotlight on EdTech was an eye-opener. Hearing from the Quizlet CEO Matthew Glotzbach provided insights into how technology is reshaping education(and reshaping studying), while a fresh startup, PencilSpaces, showcased the potential of new learning tools. PencilSpaces CEO Ayush A K Agarwal also helped all of the teams better our ideas for the final presentation.
An invigorating aspect was learning to spot challenges in education. We delved into brainstorming sessions and debated between ideas. I learned the art of critically evaluating options and looking at ideas from both a creator and consumer point of view. In team collaborations, we honed in on an app to enhance teacher-student communication.
I taught myself the basics of Figma in around four hours and translated our vision into visuals, creating notification designs that captured our solution's essence. Utilizing tools like Canva and Adobe Logo Maker, I stretched my creativity to craft graphics embodying our app's spirit. Our hard work paid off with the 'Best Graphics' award—an achievement highlighting visual communication's impact. If you want to view my team's slideshow, you can view it here.
The Stanford ASES Launchpad experience reinforced my belief in technology's growing abilities to help education. It armed me with problem-solving skills, collaboration know-how, and the ability to communicate effectively through visuals. This journey will undoubtedly influence my educational path, as a beacon for my future endeavors.
From left to right: Cody Chen, Aarav Prakash, Ishi Chopra, Anoushka Chakravarty (me), Sid Pellakuru
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