The opening session introduced the program with an orientation, detailing the schedule and key objectives. To help break the ice, we also organized activities such as a Jeopardy game with categories related to STEM and entrepreneurship. What the participants did not realize was at the time, their game groups were carefully curated based on their personalities and skills, and also were their future design challenge teams. By getting them to bond early in the program, the aim was for them to understand each other's personalities and build a more cohesive team later in the program. The second session was a whiteboarding activty, where participants used that space to articulate what drew them to NextGen and what they hoped to achieve through the program. By encouraging participants to set these goals early on, we ensured a clear path for them to follow. The last session of the week was a lesson on how having the right mindset will augment their experience with the program. Participants were introduced to the idea that growth cannot happen when one stays in their bubble, but only when one is vulnerable. Stepping out of one's comfort zone, staying open to new ideas, and embracing challenges are essential traits for development. By fostering this mindset early on, we ensured participants would make the most of the journey that lay ahead.

Our mentor, Krishiv Panchal, joined us for the second week of the program. Krishiv is a Schulich Leader studying Mechanical Engineering at York University. A Schulich Leader exemplifies an entrepreneurial spirit, which Krishiv has done through his various STEM initiatives in school and his community. Krishiv was a perfect fit for the program, since he was not only passionate about community engagement and STEM, but also someone who can maximize the participant's innate abilities by sharing his experiences. The first session of the week was a workshop on the Entrepreneurial Mindset, where Krishiv walked the participants through key characteristics, such as risk taking, passion, creativity, and capability to innovate. He highlighted how these are key not only in starting a venture but in any workplace as well. For the second session, Krishiv recorded a video about post secondary pathways. He talked about his journey, discovering passions in high school, navigating post-secondary options, and choosing a program that aligned with his aspirations. Krishiv then discussed the diverse career pathways STEM can offer, and the countless intersections for entrepreneurial ventures. Finally, as a bonus, the last session of the week included Krishiv presenting his own lesson on writing scholarship applications.

The third week switched gears to educating participants about STEM and market fundamentals. We kicked off the week with 'Tech It To The Next Level,' an introduction to emerging technologies. Participants were exposed to cutting edge concepts such as quantum computing. artificial intelligence, and smart cities. The second session of the week was an Introduction to Capital Markets. This session included information about the stock-market, banking business models, and most importantly, venture capitalism. The last session of the week included a workshop on the 6-Step Design Process, which is a cornerstone in product creation . By introducing this process, we aimed to equip the participants with a framework to efficiently find problems and create solutions. After this, participants were split into their groups and given pressing issues in the world. These groups then had to create a viable solution using the design process and present it at the next session. For example, one group was given the problem of lack of sustainable structures. As a result, they researched a groundbreaking technology called 'aerogel' and applied that knowledge to ideate windows that can ideate fridges with thinner walls!

The fourth week marked the final stretch before the grand finale of the program, and there was still plenty for participants to learn. We began the week with a lesson on market analysis. This is a crucial part of starting any venture, and would be an important component of the design challenge. He introduced participants to SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) analysis, which is fundamental to assessing a project's viability. The second session of the week focused on what was arguably the most important topic in the entire program, creating an effective business pitch. Participants learnt how to deliver a compelling pitch, and afterwards, the participants were given 30 minutes to prepare a pitch to sell the products they had ideated the week prior, and to present it to their peers. Through this exercise, participants were able to test their creativity and enhance their public speaking skills. The last session of the week focused on professional development. Crafting a well-developed resume, building a network and executing interviews well provides high-schoolers the ability to excel when applying for jobs. The participants went over networking skills, building resumes, and mock-interviewing, so that the participants can feel more confident when entering professional or even post-secondary landscapes.

The final week was full of excitement, as 4 intensive weeks of learning all culminated in the grand finale. Firstly, the participants were split into their groups, and performed some final team-building activities. They were encouraged to talk about their 3 biggest achievements to their groups, and their strengths and weaknesses. This activity was an efficient way to put into perspective each individual's inner workings. Finally, the participants regrouped and were given the theme for their Moonshot Challenge: