Summer Immersion Program
Students are recruited and selected for the program in the Spring of their sophomore year. Selected students begin their two-year Youth Design journey with a unique 7-week summer enrichment program that combines creative classroom learning with exposure to professional designers and design workplaces. At the heart of the Youth Design Institute is a 3-day-a-week course in Design Foundations at Massachusetts College of Art and Design for which students receive both high school and college credits. Additionally the first-year students meet weekly with second- and third-year Youth Designers for collaborative hands-on workshops, art museum visits, tours of top creative firms, and more.
For their second summer each Youth Designer participates in an intensive, full-time, design industry job, working alongside professional designers who serve as mentors. Over the course of seven weeks, students participate in tasks related to the day-to-day functioning of the mentor’s creative office – from brainstorming and research to participating in meetings and presentations, learning computer and design skills, and providing creative support on client projects.
Design Disciplines
- Architecture
- Book design
- Boutique firms
- Brand strategy
- Consumer research
- Corporate marketing
- Design research
- Direct mail marketing
- Fashion design
- Graphic design
- Industrial design
- Interactive design
- New media
- Social media
- Nonprofit organizations
- Print design
- Textile design
Youth Designers Takes Action Design Competition
The "Take Action" Design Competition provides Youth Designers with the opportunity to develop creative work related to a social issue that resonates with them personally. Youth Designers benefit from a second mentoring relationship through their collaboration with Virtual Art Directors. These leading design professionals from across the country help Youth Designers develop their concepts by providing insights and direction through digital platforms. Winning entries are produced and distributed to the public.
School Year Workshops
Youth Design conducts school year workshops, guest lectures, and design education activities in the areas of: design skills training, workforce and youth development, academic enrichment, financial literacy and health and wellness. These workshops help to further develop Youth Designer's work and life skills, while helping them maintain relationships with their designer mentors during the academic year. These school year workshops provide critical support to Youth Designer's as they prepare for their second summer design internship and ultimately their pursuit of higher education.
Who We Want
Are you a Boston public high school sophomore who loves to draw, create art, or design? Do you dream of using art or design skills to earn a living? Think you might like a career in graphic design, web design, architecture, product (industrial) design, or fashion design? Youth Design is for you! We look for students who:- Have a demonstrated passion for art and/or design―students who draw, make some kind of art, create your own designs
- Are interested in potentially using your creative artistic skills to earn a living through a design field such as graphic design, architecture, product design, web/interactive design, fashion design
- Are motivated, curious, have insightful and interesting ideas
- Can provide 2 adult references (a teacher and one other) who can vouch for your responsibility and character
