

Nspiration
As we walked past the refrigerator, our grandfather noticed several drawings made for me by young kids from the YMCA camp, where I was their leader. This prompted him to share his experience as the president of the Boys & Girls Club in Orange County, where he led fundraising efforts, organized community events, and built a community theater with support from benefactors like Knott’s Berry Farm and the Irvine Company. Inspired by his legacy, we wanted to make a similar impact. Reflecting on our own experiences, we identified a problem: many kids leave the YMCA at age 13. As a camp leader, this perspective allowed us to look back at who we were then through the lens of an objective participant today. It became clear that the decline in membership among 13- to-17-year-olds stemmed from a lack of creative outlets. At 13, kids age out of the very programs that once kept them engaged, leaving the YMCA to compete with middle school for their attention. To address this, we proposed a classical art program intertwined with a commercially applied creative art system, a fusion of Renaissance principles and accessible technology. This approach not only preserves an artistic outlet for teens but also surpasses the often-lackluster public school art programs by integrating both classical and commercial design elements. Through Nspire, we aim to keep teens engaged by offering a creative outlet as they transition from elementary to middle and high school. The hope is that their enthusiasm for the program will drive its success, inspiring adoption in public schools and bridging the gap between entrepreneurship and public policy. Ultimately, this initiative seeks to develop meaningful creative advancement, benefiting both underserved communities and affluent students alike. As our motto goes, "Doodles to Dollars."
-Rylan Mackey Dane Mackey-

