Each quarter at Apison, students tackle a new challenge that blends STEM skills with literacy, math and social studies. Working with teachers, they select a theme, define a problem, plan and prototype solutions, test, revise and reflect. The focus is on process rather than finding one right answer. In one unit students explore kinetic energy by building catapults, vehicles and zip‑line racers, measuring distances and graphing results. Another unit focuses on structures: classes design bridges, towers and playground equipment from everyday materials, test load capacity and refine designs using geometry. A third theme centers on habitats and erosion. Students create biomes, study animal adaptations and build models to slow runoff and protect soil. Throughout the year, community partners present real problems. Students design signage for school events, create personalized keychains and coins for fundraisers, build adaptive devices for peers with disabilities and craft plaques for volunteers. Writing journals, storyboards, graphs and budgets integrate literacy and math. Reflection sessions allow students to discuss successes, failures and future improvements. Parents and community members are invited to quarterly showcases where students present prototypes, explain their process and raise funds to support materials and equipment through product sales. These experiences teach entrepreneurship and budgeting while reinforcing academic content. As students gain confidence with 3D printers, laser cutters, vinyl cutters and robotics, they learn to give constructive feedback and to view themselves as engineers, artists and entrepreneurs. The year culminates in a school‑wide Maker Fair where every class displays projects and collaborates with local makers and high‑school students. Through these challenges, students discover that creativity and perseverance lead to innovation and that the journey of design is as important as the final product.