THRIVE Labs: Phase Two 
extending tahoe Prototype to community lab Centers in a Network

This is when we build upon the Phase 1 Thrive Lab Tahoe prototype to nurture a network of similar student-powered Thrive Labs in other towns and cities across Northern Nevada. 

​Thrive Labs may be developed differently in each community - depending on their current programs and facilities. Some may be based at a public library - such as Carson City and Fallon are considering. Others may be annexes or extensions of existing middle, high schools, community college, university, and/or community centers. What will be the shared elements across all locations?

• Career Studios with equipment and coaches to support teenagers (initially) engaing in personal and career exploration and development projects including;
  • Self-Preneur (SP) Playbook Challenge - a self-discovery and development journey including career exploration projects and (SP) Mastery Level assessment rubric and validated Development Portfolio
  • Use of state-of-the-art equipment with expert coaches provided by employers, grants, and donors to engage in real-world project challenges that build in-demand skills, competencies, capacities, credentials, internships, apprenticeships, and access to high quality occupations and jobs. 
  • tudents engage with mentors and industry-specific experts to refine their interests and get a clear view of the opportunities that exist and the skill-sets necessary to pursue them. Learners develop personal and interpersonal skills and the capacity to learn and achieve their goals for academic growth, strong citizenship, and career success. 
• Thrive Lab Operating System (TLOS) that supports above and includes
  • Youth members creating and managing their personal learning plan, goals, and Capacity Portfolio (public record of job credentials, projects experiences, Self-Preneur mastery level, and occupation objectives), scheduling space use, engaging with coaches, and engaging in collaborative projects to discover, design, develop, and manifest their best life in service to community
  • Youth members apply for jobs to operate the Thrive Lab and career   
  • Parent and Coach members apply for roles on project coach teams, Self-Preneur Coach Team, and Thrive Lab Advisory Team 

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imagine the future...

Imagine young learners, employers, and community members collaborating around design challenges and competitions. Think hackathons, sprints, scrums to solve problems and opportunities in workplaces and communities.   

You've probably heard of THINK TANKS - groups of smart people trying to solve tough problems - and SHARK TANKS - competition of entreneurs proposing innovative solutions to community needs?

These fun challenges among small teams generally result in sharing an idea "pitch" to experts, mentors, potential funders, and prospective future employers. Winners can get funding and job offers to develop their idea to fruition. All participants gain skills, knowledge, recognition, network building, and personal insight into what the best next learning challenge and experience should be for them. 

Thrive Labs was developed to bring all of these excellent learning experiences to YOUNG PEOPE - to give them the chance to stretch their creative capacities while solving real-world needs and discovering how their talents and interests can be applied toward enjoyable, productive occupations just right for them. 

When young people have the opportunity to participate in Design Challenges in a field of interest to them, they can expedite the self-awareness about their optimal learning plan - which may include: 

• pursue a course of study - specialized or college degree - in order to improve performance in the next design challenge
• pursue an internship or apprenticeship in an area of interest
• start a business 
• create a social improvement campaign or non-profit
• join another design challenge.  

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the magic of networking

As individual labs are developed in each community, we also create interconnection between labs, and this is where the magic happens. The open collaboration and sharing of research, new knowledge, technologies, real projects, people, and programs will create a distributed learning ecosystem among students, teachers, school and system leaders, and employers. With everything focused on meeting the needs of each individual learner - empowering them to drive their own learning - adults become focused on how to nurture student autonomy with deep and creative learning experiences no matter what their locations is.