If the Goal is Greatness, Expect Greatness from Everyone

What makes group work between adults and youth difficult? Language barriers? A shortage of the word “rad”?

No, it’s the space. Imagine this: You’ve come across an opportunity— whether by chance, invitation, or after a long season of searching. It’s an opportunity to which you want to contribute your time, energy, and ideas. You take the plunge, you walk in, you sign up, you apply, and you make it to the first day—only to be met by faces sporting doubt and low expectations. A waste of time, right? That is where the problem starts.

A single coat of inadvertent condescension can make the difference between an imaginative, productive environment and an uncomfortable environment that results only in long summers and unimpressive project results. Creativity and innovation are not limited by time. They will never expire, and we have an array of minds to thank for this. We do not have to wait on the birth of inspiration because being a vessel for exceptional ideas is an open position for anyone. Unfortunately, that message is not always clear when you’re a minor.