Youth Venture
Youth Venture seeks to shape how education is presented around the Greater Vancouver area and expose students to real-world engineering situations. We bring new perspectives to teachers and students on sustainability and education practices, providing students with opportunities to put ideas into action.
In particular, Youth Venture encourages students to think critically about current issues on both a local and global level. We aim to help students develop creative thinking and problem-solving skills by exploring how engineering can be used to overcome present challenges.
Youth Venture plans to realize these goals by developing informative workshops for elementary schools, assisting high school students with their transition to university, and hosting design competitions based on real-world issues.
2022
Water Pollution Case Competition
A case competition focused on water pollution and access to clean drinking water. The event highlights the ongoing lack of safe water in many communities and the barriers they face. Students explore these challenges and develop practical solutions for treating specific types of water pollution.
2023
Pediatric Assistive Technology Case Competition
This competition focuses on pediatric assistive technologies. Many children with disabilities face barriers in learning and daily activities due to limited access to supportive devices. Participants will learn about common childhood disabilities in Canada and prototype a simple, sustainable, and cost-effective assistive device. The event promotes awareness of inclusive design and highlights how engineering can address social, political, and environmental challenges.
2024
Networking Event
The networking event hosted by Youth Venture brought together engineering professors and students for an engaging and informative panel discussion on the day of the life as an engineering student, what paths engineering can open up, and more. This event provided high school students to connect with experts, ask questions, and explore about the future of engineering.
2024
Boat Float
Designed for students in Grade 4 to 6, this hands-on event provides an exciting opportunity for young learners to explore engineering principles by designing and constructing their own floating boats. Using a variety of materials provided, each team will compete to create the boat that can hold the most weight while remaining afloat. This interactive experience aims to inspire teamwork, creativity, and an understanding of basic engineering concepts.
2025
Mini Catapult Workshop
Designed for students in Grade 6 to 7, this hands-on workshop provides an exciting opportunity for students to explore engineering principles of forces and motion. Each team will be designing and constructing mini catapults with popsicle sticks and other materials. The catapults will be tested to see how far they can launch and how well they were designed! This interactive experience aims to inspire teamwork, creativity, and an understanding of basic engineering concepts.
2025
Blueprints For a Better Future Case Competition
For this year's case competition, teams of 4-5 students were faced with designing a new city that aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2030. Participants must strategically place residential areas, outline road networks, and allocate space for parks, schools, and hospitals while ensuring the city's energy system is sustainable, affordable and environmentally friendly. This competition challenges students to balance creativity and practicality to create a city blueprint that ensures a prosperous and sustainable future for its residents.
Venture Team Roster
Venture Leads
Risha Reddy
Mikela Scharlach
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Venture Team Members
Zarah Ali Operations Member
Reanna Gandhi​ Operations Member
Emily Hwang​ Research/Design Member
Pedro Santos Communications Representative​
Nimi Grewal​ External Communication
Brian Lo Research/Design Member
Samuel An Research/Design Member