Makers of TOMorrow, an event that prepares younger students to participate in TOM, returns after a 2 year interruption for Grade 4-7 students April 20-22 in the High School Colesium.

Makers of TOMorrow provides younger students to experience the concept of TOM and work alongside experts to address real issues for people with specific needs, known as Conocedores de la Necesidad. 

“Makers of TOMorrow is important for the school as it will be known for helping the community, and it’s a product of hard work… Students will be able to meet new people and explore areas of engineering, team working, and problem-solving that will help them in the future” Senior Maria Adelaida Restrepo said. 

Team leaders Rafael Martinez, Grade 10, and Restrepo have worked for the past nine months alongside TOM leaders Pablo Arango, Grade 11, and Senior Maria Hinestroza, hoping to bring back the event. 

“We have worked really hard to make the event happen by gathering lots of support from teachers and directives. We are happy to announce Makers of TOMorrow is reopening!” Martinez said. 

After being shut down because of the pandemic, Martinez and Restrepo have worked alongside Technology Coordinator Hector Londoño, to ensure that the upcoming Makers of TOMorrow is a success.  They have transitioned its focus from a challenged-based event to a more student-guided project that handles real cases of TOM. 

“In the past, the event was called Makecamp, and the main structure was around a challenge each team was given. This year rather than giving a challenge, we want to make it more similar to the actual TOM,” Restrepo said. 

Students will be granted real access to the cases of Conocedores de la Necesidad, they must undergo all the necessary preparations before and during the event. 

“Students will have several meetings before the event where they will have to do some brainstorming and then they will have all of the resources required to start building the solutions for the cases,” Arango said.          

Each team of students will consist of 3-4 students and will be handed a real case scenario of a Conocedor de la Necesidad along with an assigned HS student mentor to help guide them through the process. 

“We will soon be opening inscriptions for participation, and for HS students to sign up as mentors. To help the younger students complete their projects,” Martinez said.

Students interested in participating in Makers of TOMorrow can fill out the survey posted in Schoology. If chosen, these students will begin training sessions and sensibilization processes in March. 

“Students will be selected based on their abilities, and their skills, according to what kind of elements each case requires,” Arango said.          

Allowing young students to participate in activities with a focus on engineering, programming, and mechanics, helps them develop their interests and skills for the future. ES -MS students being invested in Makers of TOMorrow gives them a great start for TOM when they enter HS. 

“We are firm believers that it’s a great way to develop engineering skills that can be used in the future, and it’s the best way to train the Makers of TOMorrow,” Martinez said.