Learning, Connection, and Innovation with New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network

Bringing Learning to Life Through Workshops at NMOST’s 2026 Spring Into Summer Conference

We had a fantastic time connecting with educators and program leaders at the NMOST’s Spring into Summer Conference, hosted by the New Mexico Out-of-School Time Network. This annual gathering brings together out-of-school time (OST) professionals and advocates from across New Mexico to share ideas, strengthen programs, and prepare for impactful summer learning experiences.

Focused on supporting youth development through high-quality OST programming, the conference created space for collaboration, innovation, and practical learning. Educators, administrators, and community leaders came together with a shared goal: expanding opportunities for young people through engaging, relevant, and inclusive experiences.

VentureLab was proud to contribute by leading two interactive workshops and facilitating a panel discussion designed to equip educators with tools and strategies to bring entrepreneurial, mindset-driven learning into their programs.

Stepping Into the Student Experience with ESTEAM®

In our ESTEAM^® Design Challenges workshops, educators experienced entrepreneurship in action through VentureLab’s ESTEAM^® approach. Designed to elevate student voice through innovation, this session immersed participants in a hands-on design challenge rooted in real-world problem-solving.

Working collaboratively, educators moved through stages of the design-thinking process: empathy, ideation, prototyping, and pitching. Along the way, they practiced key entrepreneurial mindsets like curiosity, creativity, and persistence, while building tangible solutions as a team.

Rather than simply learning about these strategies, participants actively experienced what it feels like for students to engage in this kind of work.

Throughout the session, we paused to reflect:
What does this look like in your program? How might this fit into your schedule or setting?

These moments helped educators connect the experience directly to their own out-of-school time environments. By the end, teams shared their ideas through quick pitches, bringing energy, collaboration, and a strong sense of student-centered possibility into the room.

Educators left with ready-to-use ESTEAM^® challenges and practical strategies to foster innovation, teamwork, and student voice, no matter their previous experience or program size.

Elevating Youth Voice Through Panel Conversation

We also had the opportunity to facilitate a panel, Youth Entrepreneurship in OST: Panel Discussion and Lessons Learned, bringing together leaders from across New Mexico who are embedding entrepreneurship into out-of-school time programs in powerful, community-driven ways.

The conversation highlighted how youth entrepreneurship is already taking shape across diverse settings from afterschool programs and community centers to agricultural co-ops and regional partnerships.

Panelists shared what it looks like in action: young people brainstorming ideas, creating prototypes, launching small ventures, and building confidence through hands-on, real-world experiences.

Panelists included:

• Crystal Garcia, Business Development Manager of Rio Grande Educational Collaborative 
• April Christensen, Founder and Creator Kids Can Youth Entrepreneur Program and Founding Board member of NMOST
• Robert Stokowy, Executive Director of Warehouse 505 
• Kate Porterfield, Co-Executive Director, Youth Agricultural Cooperative
• Andrew Trujllo, Co-Executive Director, Youth Agricultural Cooperative
• Autumn, youth representative

Grounded in both storytelling and practical application, the discussion explored how these programs begin and grow. Panelists reflected on starting small, often with a single idea or student need, and expanding through partnerships, creativity, and persistence. Whether through family engagement, collaborations with local businesses, or connections to schools and community organizations, each example reinforced that impactful programs don’t require perfect conditions just a willingness to start.

A key theme throughout the conversation was resourcefulness. Youth entrepreneurship creates new pathways for sustainability by unlocking community assets, from volunteers and local expertise to funding opportunities and shared spaces. More importantly, it positions young people as active contributors to their communities.

The panel reinforced a powerful takeaway: entrepreneurship in OST isn’t about building businesses, it’s about building mindset. Through resilience, problem-solving, and innovation, youth begin to see themselves as capable, creative leaders with a role to play in shaping their future.

Turning Inspiration into Action

Across both workshops and the panel, one theme remained clear: educators are powerful catalysts for change.

It was actually really fun! It was a lot of hands-on learning and collaboration with other people. It was great because it’s a new topic that I don’t get to participate in a lot … just learning about networking…sharing ideas and brainstorming was pretty powerful.

When young people are given the opportunity to think creatively, solve problems, and share their ideas, they begin to see themselves differently, not just as students, but as creators of their own futures.

We’re excited to see how the educators we connected with will carry this work forward expanding access to ESTEAM^® learning and creating experiences that build confidence, agency, and possibility for every learner.

Ready to bring hands-on, mindset-driven learning to your program?
Explore VentureLab’s educator offerings and start building experiences that empower your students to imagine, create, and lead.

Learn more about our ESTEAM^® Design Challenge Kits: