Download 2015 Fall Newsletter

Foundation
Fall 2015 Newsletter
“For children to succeed in their
own life, talent and education
is not enough. They need to
find something they are really
passionate about, that drives
their energy, mind, and efforts.
Some young people are fearful,
they might be passionate about
something, but they never try.
Make the first step, A to B, and let
the rest fall into place.
The spirit of entrepreneurship of
our company is a great example
of making that first step.”
David Wang
Founder & CEO, Wave2Wave
Solution Corporation
What We Do
Wave2Wave Foundation inspires the next generation of entrepreneurs, scientists, and
technologists to create the new wave of technological innovation through collaborations with
non-profits and educational institutions.
Projects
Science Outreach Program at the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo
In September, 2015, Wave2Wave Foundation provided $5,000 to the Friends of the Palo Alto
Junior Museum & Zoo for its Science Outreach Program.
How Fiber Optics
Connect the World
Interested in teaching your kids
about Fiber Optics?
Check out our storybook:
This program, which takes place at under-resourced schools in East Palo Alto and East Menlo
Park, reaches more than 1,200 K-5th grade students each year in hands-on, engaging STEM
education.
Lessons are collaborative and innovative and use technology such as star labs, microscopes and
telescopes to inspire these young scientists to explore and discover. “I got to see some science
stuff, it was great!” Said a fourth-grade student in the Science Outreach Program.
Wave2Wave Foundation’s support will provide 33 hour-long STEM lessons in Ravenswood City
School District – funding that will help to inspire children to learn, innovate, and get excited
about science.
Find out more about this program and what you can do to help.
The Tech Challenge Program at The Tech Museum of Innovation
In October, 2015, Wave2Wave Foundation contributed $5,000 to The Tech Museum of Innovation
for The Tech Challenge Program.
The Tech Challenge is an engineering program and competition in which students in grades
4-12 design and build a solution to a real-world problem. The program, now in its 29th year, is
one of the oldest engineering design competitions in California. In 2015, more than 2,600 youth
registered to compete.
The Tech Challenge is built on The Tech’s unique expertise in design challenge learning (projectbased learning + design thinking + engineering). Every year it helps thousands of boys and girls
develop lifelong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
Registration is now open for
The Tech Challenge!
The challenge takes place over
several months as participants form
a team, design, build and test their
project. The challenge culminates in
an event weekend, when the teams
present their project to the judges
in front of their family and friends.
Want to get your kids involved and
take the challenge?
Register here:
http://www.thetech.org/techchallenge-presented-emc/
registration
Wave2Wave Foundation is an Investing Sponsor for this wonderful program that strengthens
STEM learning for kids and prepares them for eventual elite careers in Silicon Valley, where
invention and innovation depend on highly skilled workers.
Find out more about the 2016 challenge: http://www.thetech.org/tech-challenge-presented-emc
Fiber-Optic Lights Make Children’s Theater Productions Come to Life
This fall Wave2Wave Foundation contributed $7,000 to underwrite the commission and purchase
of a fiber-optic theatrical installation for the Palo Alto Children’s Theatre Playhouse Series
productions. This contribution will provide science-learning opportunities in a performing arts
venue, illuminating the link between two disciplines through interactive theatrical presentations.
Palo Alto Children’s Theatre staff and the
Director of Wave2Wave Foundation, Nadia Rota,
met with installation artist Christopher Moulder
at the end of October to plan the installation
process. Judge Luckey, Managing Artistic
Director of the Palo Alto Childrens Theatre,
joined in the conversation and the group
toured the theatre, and chose the placement
for the sculpture, which will hang at the center
of the theatre, serving as a focal point for the
audience as they enter, as well as providing
theatrical underscoring and environmental
change during productions. The finished
installation will fill approximately 300 square feet, with lighting that is tied into the theatre’s
board and operated by youth and teen crew members.
The finished sculpture will be shipped to the theatre in February 2016, and will be installed
over a two-day workshop, with up to 12 youth participants. The participants will learn about
the sculpture and lighting process, and learn to program the board in a way that maximizes the
use of the sculpture. Teens from the Teen Arts Council will also attend training, as the sculpture
will be integrated into teen concert and “open mic” events. The tentative date for the Opening
Reception, celebrating the installation and the support from the Wave2Wave Foundation, has
been scheduled for February 20th, 2016. Come and let your internal child run free with the magic
of the theater!
Nadia Rota, Wave2Wave Foundation
Director, with Abby Longcor,
Director of The Tech Challenge
Program, at The Tech Challenge Info
Clinic on October 24, 2015.
The Tech Awards
The Tech Awards is a signature
program of The Tech Museum of
Innovation that celebrates those
who are using technology to solve
the world’s problems.
Kids are Preparing to Compete in the Business Plan Competition at the
Incubator School
Wave2Wave Foundation has provided a grant of $5,000.00 to Friends of the Incubator School
for the Entrepreneurship Program. Wave2Wave Foundation’s grant will help support 8th and 9th
grade student’s business plan competition scheduled for May of 2016.
While students elsewhere are learning from textbooks and lectures, 8th graders at The Incubator
School are learning real world skills of Communication, Collaboration, Problem-Solving,
Innovation, Grit and Self-Management through the experience of starting and running their own
businesses. Throughout the fall they’ve learned how these skills are fundamental to success in
entrepreneurship, college, and life, and taken on a number of design challenges and small scale
business experiences in preparation for their own business launches in early 2016. One challenge
asked them to take $20 in real money, re-design everyday objects in more innovative ways and
pitch to the school principal and founder. The winning pitch “The Collar” is featured in the video
here: https://youtu.be/d8NsNHijPpA
Now students are working on their
first experience with the full business
development process by starting up
and running a creative pen business in
small teams. Each team had to make a
unique design, purchase $10 in supplies,
develop their product, determine a
price, and make real sales. Once revenue
is collected, they will reconcile their
account, pay back the initial investment
and keep the profits.
Thanks to the generous donation from Wave2Wave Foundation, these students will compete for
real cash in a business plan competition scheduled for May of 2016.
©2015 Wave2Wave Foundation
517 Fairview Way, Milpitas, CA 95035
w2wfoundation.org
Crystal Chow, Foundation Relations
Manager at The Tech, and Nadia Rota
chat at The Tech Awards Gala, San
Jose McEnery Convention Center on
November 12, 2015.