Innovator Fellowship

What if... You had an hour or two each day, to write a movie script, invent a product, create an app, compose music, develop your art, or start a business collaborating with professionals both in and out of the industry, who could help you achieve your dreams, while earning honors credit?

Innovator Fellowship
The Innovator Fellowship Program at North High School engages high school junior and senior students in the deeper exploration of career paths beyond the traditional classroom. Students work to develop passion-driven concepts through a project-based, collaborative learning partnership within a multidisciplinary community of creative thinkers. Each fellow creates a vision for an innovative project and works with the Innovator Fellowship Coordinators and members of Jake’s, A Lakeland Community, to develop their personal identity and carry out their unique project.

History

The IF Program was developed in 2013 by Jason Bull and Jay Johnson in partnership with Jake's Cafe as a way to give students an experience beyond North High school that would inspire them and help them grow their skills. Its goal is to help students, "Dream Big" and bring those dreams to fruition. The program has been funded through partnerships with North High School, SASD, Acuity and the Kohler Foundation.

Participation

In order to participate in the Innovator Fellowship, students must meet the following requirements:

Students must complete the preliminary application process by May 16, 2025 of the year prior to the experience.
If selected for an interview, students must present their project proposal to the IF committee with examples of their previous related work.
Students must submit a resume.
Students must submit a budget proposal.
Students must be in good academic standing, have a cumulative G.P.A. of 3.2 or higher, and pass all classes, or write a letter of appeal, explaining why the committee should consider your application.
Students must attend North High School.
Students must complete two faculty recommendations.
Students must have signed parent or Guardian permission.

Lakeland Course: BUS 285

Course Description:

This dynamic and immersive course empowers students to become agents of positive change in their communities. Over the span of 2 semesters, students will dive into the intricate world of community engagement, from identifying pressing needs to launching impactful projects. Through a blend of experiential learning, interactive workshops, guest speakers, and hands-on project management, participants will develop a comprehensive toolkit to address real-world challenges and drive sustainable change, while honing their skills in branding, customer discovery, collaboration, ethical decision-making, and project management.

By the course's end, students will have the confidence, expertise, and network to create meaningful projects that leave a lasting mark on their communities. Pre-requisites: none. Offered: fall

Course Requirements

Innovator Fellowship Application

Jake's A Lakeland Community

Applications are due on May 16, 2025
Please use Dochub.com to type your application

Directions for Dochub

Innovator Fellowship Coordinator

Ashley Magray
amagray@sasd.net

Innovator Fellows

2024 - 2025

Sofia Fields - has created a letter exchange program to connect generations. The program is called Pen Pals which safely connects good students with elders to share their thoughts, ideas, experiences, and wisdom through handwritten letters. The goal is to have a continuous pen pal system at North, creating new connections between generations and combating social isolation. Follow along on Instagram atpenpals_sheboygan. Sofia can be reached at 25fields352@sasd.net).

Elizabeth Jelinek has created a storytelling project, Tales of Sheboygan, focused on the senior community and sharing their stories connected through specific Sheboygan locations. These locations will have landmarks for the Sheboygan community to read/connect with the stories being shared. Elizabeth can be contacted at talesofsheboygan@gmail.com.

Ella Spielman has created a collection of stories of Sheboygan's impactful people that highlight their narrative, driving force, and ways they have made a difference. The purpose of her project, City of Voices, is to educate the community of the changemakers that live around us, and empower people to make a positive impact on the community around them. It just takes just one person to make the world a better place, and that starts right here in Sheboygan. Follow along on Instagram at cityofvoices_sheboygan. Contact Ella at 26spielman683@sasd.net.

Julia English's project, B.R.I.D.G.E., aims to touch the minds of the Sheboygan Community by encouraging them to overcome the challenges that come along with being brave enough to not only share their beliefs but to openly listen to others as well. She witnessed firsthand how bringing together students from across the globe can create a community that has the strength to make a positive difference. She plans to research, interview, and share her findings to hopefully mitigate the fear of politics. Julia can be reached at innovatorfellowshipbridge@gmail.com

Aoife Meyer's project, Foster Focus, is dedicated to raising awareness about the experiences of youth in out-of-home care in Sheboygan County. Through a series of informational pop-up events, Foster Focus aims to inform the Sheboygan community about the challenges youth in out-of-home care face. The project also seeks to raise funds for the creation of a scholarship for children who have been in, or are currently in out-of-home care and aspire to pursue higher education. Follow along on Instagram at fosterfocus_. Aoife can be reached at aoifemeyer08@gmail.com.

2023-2024

Anna Adamavich - "INSPIHER" - Anna's summer day camp empowers girls aged 8-13 to dream big and become active members of society through fun activities and mentorship.
Alina Cha - "What's Your Story?" - Alina's installation provides a platform for sharing narratives, fostering connections and empathy across different backgrounds.
Eileen English - "Beat! A musical Garden" - Eileen's project designs an outdoor musical installation at Vollrath Park, featuring five stations with instruments and a children's storybook, to encourage musical expression in the community.
Isabella Froh - "Open Ears" - Isabella's initiative installs 'telecoil hearing loops' in Sheboygan's public places, improving the experience for individuals with hearing aids in loud settings.
Jake Leismer - "Sheboygan County Youth Voters" - Jake's organization engages Sheboygan’s 16–25-year-olds in local politics through voter registration drives and information campaigns.
Flinn Opel - "STEAM Sheboygan" - Flinn's project inspires students through STEAM education, using the Questioneers book series to nurture critical thinking, self-expression and creativity.
George Philips - "Sheboogie" - George's project aims to bring together a diverse group of musicians and promote the live jazz scene in Sheboygan.

2022-23

Eileen English - Beat! A Musical Garden - donations for her musical commmunity garden project https://gofund.me/b6b2bd1a
George Phillips - Sheboogie Jazz Connection - looking to bring more Jazz and connect Sheboygan residents to opportunties to play and hear Jazz. https://www.sheboogie.org/
Meghan Haas - publising a book highlighting diversity by documenting stories from 1st and 2nd generation immigrants and donating the book to district elementary schools. She is in need of 1st and 2nd generation immigrants that are willing to share their story. Please fill out this form https://form.jotform.com/230014819205143
Isabella Froh - looking to bring loop systems to Sheboygan for thies with hearing impairments. Website https://open-ears.webflow.io/ Go Fund Me https://gofund.me/939433d6

2021 - 2022

Emily Fisher - Environmentalism (book installation for children) April 29th, 4pmMaywood
Hannah Persick - Fostering (film) May 20th, 6pmUW-Green Bay/ Sheboygan
Carolyne Van deventer - Adaptive Surfing (instructive course for individuals with disabilities )July 30th/31st (there will be a rain date) North Beach
Stella Revelis - Mental Health (podcast) June 4th - tentative TBD

Previous Projects