When limitations, anxieties and uncertainty are around us, it is important to remind ourselves and others: the world is much bigger. And dreams are bolder than they seem. It was with this idea that we set off for Poltava together with nine teenagers from the Kharkiv region – semi-finalists of the«NextGen Innovators» project competition.
It was not just a trip, but a day of new acquaintances, discoveries and sincere inspiration. Participants from the Kurylivka, Savyntsi and Derhachi communities are teenagers who have already learned to create social initiatives, pitch their ideas, and immerse themselves in the basics of project management. And now they got the opportunity to see how all this works in the big world – outside their community.
“Aurora” company: business from the inside
The first stop is the head office of “Aurora” company. Modern business space, open communications, teamwork – all this became unexpectedly close. Here, children saw that ideas can become real projects if they find the right people and are not afraid to dream big.
“I never thought that an office could be so interesting. I want to work here!” shares one of the participants.
Poltava Youth Center: a place of strength and support
The next stop is the youth center, where active youth of Poltava live. Teenagers learned about volunteer projects, opportunities to participate in initiatives, and most importantly, they felt that they are not alone.
Even in difficult conditions, young people have the power to influence the world around them.
Inspiring Science: “Fantasy Project”
At the end of the day, teenagers visited the Science Museum of the National Center “Small Academy of Sciences of Ukraine” at the National Technical University “Poltava Polytechnic”. It was here that the “Fantasy Project” exhibition was held — an incredible collection of inventions created by children from Norway.
Out of 2,400 applications, only 11 were selected — and they became real exhibits that inspire and captivate. These are fantasies that have turned into engineering ideas. And at the same time, they are a mirror of children’s imagination, which has no boundaries.
For our teenagers, it was an encounter with science, which lives not only in textbooks, but also in dreams. And also — an understanding that innovations are not born somewhere far away, but rather in places where children have room for imagination.
Thank you for the opportunity to dream!
On this day, the world expanded for our teenagers. And we sincerely believe: this is just the beginning.
Thank you to everyone who joined the project — financially, organizationally, with care and faith in children.
When children see more, they begin to believe that there is more to achieve. And they begin to act.
