Working alongside researchers from Harvard’s Project Zero and Epic Innovation Collective, Marnie Forestieri helped bring the “Empowering Communities to Shape Their Worlds” initiative to Central Florida — creating one of the region’s first large-scale maker-centered professional learning experiences for early childhood educators. Sponsored by the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, the initiative brought together educators from 25 early learning centers to shift away from worksheets and teacher-directed instruction toward inquiry, creativity, collaboration, and hands-on problem solving.
The Approach. The professional learning experience introduced educators to maker-centered learning and practical classroom strategies that help children think creatively and solve problems, develop confidence through hands-on experiences, collaborate with peers, take ownership of their learning, and build resilience through experimentation and reflection. Rather than a one-off training, the program created an ongoing community of practice, with facilitators returning throughout the year to support implementation.
The Impact. The initiative demonstrated how high-quality professional development can transform teaching practices by empowering educators with practical tools grounded in internationally recognized research — reinforcing Young Innovators Academy’s role as a leader in innovation-driven early childhood education and showcasing how collaboration between researchers, practitioners, and school leaders can elevate learning for both teachers and children.
Flagship · Launch
