On Thursday, May 22 at the Academy by Design (AbD) Expo, students in the AbD cohort filled the space with prototypes and presentations, each one the product of months of work and collaboration. The event marked the culmination of a year in Wheaton Academy’s three-year design-thinking cohort that empowers students to identify real-world challenges and create solutions that serve others.
There were automated feeder systems and habitats for the growing WA Zoo, a carbon-fiber backpack designed to relieve student stress, an AI-powered web browser built to accelerate interfaith dialogue, and a full scale go-kart.
“Through this course, I learned to solve problems through a human-centered design approach,” said Jakin Thomas ’25. “Mr. Burick’s teaching, guidance, and unconditional love for students has helped me learn important soft and technical skills, like empathy, critical thinking, and effective communication.”
Lody Lanham’s GoKart project, completed as part of his senior capstone, reflected the technical freedom made possible by the school’s new IDEA Lab, funded through the For Generations to Come campaign and sponsored in part by Camcraft.
“Before, something like this would have had to happen in someone’s garage.” Lody said. “I would have had to get special permission to do the welding in the maintenance shop outside school hours. Now it happens right here, in school, with support from teachers who know what they are doing,” Lody said. “I’ve been able to work on this in school, during the day, where I have support and tools. That’s a big difference.”
The new IDEA Lab includes a dedicated welding area, upgraded safety and ventilation systems, metalworking tools like a lathe and CNC plasma cutter, and adaptable instructional zones for collaboration and testing.
“Space matters,” said Josh Burick, who teaches engineering and design and oversees the IDEA Lab. “We read our physical environment like we read a human face. We feel and internalize what the space tells us about how to work. This space opens up so many possibilities for students.”
Throughout the year, students in Academy by Design progress through a framework that includes noticing a need, building empathy, defining the challenge, ideating, prototyping, testing, and sharing. “I often reference Galatians 5:22-23 when I teach design,” said Burick. “Love, because to design for others you must love them. Patience, because design demands it. Kindness, gentleness, self-control—these are spiritual disciplines and design essentials. That’s not a coincidence.”
In spaces like the IDEA Lab, students are learning to steward their gifts, serve others through innovation, and reflect the image of the ultimate Designer.