Under Armour is not just a brand. It’s a helping hand for those who dream big. It backs AJ, helping him win titles in boxing. It also celebrates diversity with stories of LGBTQ+ athletes in college sports.1 This brand is all about making better gear for athletes, like the cool UA StealthForm Hat. And, they celebrate Women’s History Month through a special collection made with stars from the WNBA.
Key Takeaways
- Under Armour is committed to empowering future scientists and innovators through various initiatives.
- The brand is championing diversity and inclusion by spotlighting inspiring voices from the LGBTQ+ community.
- Under Armour continues to push the boundaries of innovation, developing products that cater to the needs of athletes.
- The brand is honoring female trailblazers through a limited-edition product line in partnership with WNBA stars.
- These initiatives aim to foster STEM education, youth mentorship, and scientific exploration among young minds.
Nurturing Creativity and Innovation
Under Armour aims to spark creativity and innovation in young people. Their projects are all about thinking differently and finding new ideas.2 One example is when middle-school kids joined a workshop to think up ways to help their environment. They ended up making a solar-powered waste system. This project helped both the kids and their community feel proud.
Providing a Fertile Ground for Novel Ideas
2 Being creative is seen as very important for tomorrow’s world. It helps us learn new things, solve problems, and change with the times.2 Creativity touches everything from science to making smart business choices. It’s key for our fast-changing economy. Without creative thinking, we wouldn’t see advances in technology or new art forms.
Encouraging Out-of-the-Box Thinking
2 As technology grows, it shines a light on how creative humans are. This is why it’s vital for schools to be places that cheer on new ideas.2 They do this by letting students try things, work together, and wonder about the world. Rewarding hard work and bounce-back from failure helps kids feel they can handle anything.
Fostering an Environment of Exploration
2 Including arts in learning can boost creativity in all areas. Making creativity a big deal in school helps students get ready to succeed in a world that’s always changing.2 Today’s students need to be creative if they’re going to be the problem-solvers and leaders of tomorrow. WisdomWood High goes above and beyond. They make sure to encourage thinking outside the box, appreciate thinking in unique ways, and value being different.
Building Resilience and Grit
Starting a business isn’t easy, and Under Armour shows kids that from the start. They get to be part of programs that teach them how to deal with failures. They learn to be tough and keep trying.
For instance, a young entrepreneur might get turned down by investors for their cool new eco-friendly clothes. But, they don’t stop there. They work on their pitch, find someone to guide them, and eventually get the money they need. This kind of experience makes them stronger and ready for whatever life throws their way.
Embracing Failures and Setbacks
Under Armour’s work is all about making kids strong inside. Today’s kids deal with a lot, like tough school stuff, feeling out of place, or personal issues. Getting through these isn’t easy, but it’s key to doing well in school.3 When you learn to keep going despite the hard stuff, your schoolwork gets better.
Teaching Adaptability and Perseverance
4 A study in 2007 showed that never giving up and loving your big goals is key to doing great things. It says that standing your ground and staying focused help a lot with long-term success. Having grit – sticking to it and staying interested – is a big help in doing well in school, sports, or at work.
3 It really matters to have people around who care, show you respect, and cheer you on. Under Armour makes sure kids have this kind of support. Their programs are like a nest where kids can learn from mistakes, get good at adjusting, and keep trying – skills they’ll need later in life.
Empowering Social Change
Under Armour isn’t just about making money. They also help young people solve big community problems in smart ways.5 One of their projects fights food insecurity with community gardens in cities.5 Kids involved learn to garden sustainably, what good nutrition is, and how teamwork is key.5 These efforts teach kids their actions can really help others. They encourage using their skills and ideas to better their world.
Addressing Pressing Societal Issues
Social innovation means finding new and clever ways to fix tough issues, to make life better for everyone, and to have a good effect on society.5 Kids play a big part in this because they see problems in a different way. They grew up in a world that changes fast.5 Under Armour helps these young minds work on big problems like hunger and saving the planet. They learn by doing and by working with others.
Cultivating a Sense of Purpose
Working on solving big issues can give young people not just a purpose, but also pride, and more confidence.5 These projects let kids meet others who think like them. They can make friends and useful contacts.5 This all adds up to help them grow personally and have a strong effect on their own communities.
Fostering Collaboration and Networking
Under Armour values teamwork in helping upcoming scientists grow, encouraging new ideas, and creating a varied team. It’s CEN project links young business leaders. They get a chance to swap knowledge, pool resources, and work on common efforts.6
Connecting Young Entrepreneurs
At the CEN meetup, students of different backgrounds join forces. A programmer and a designer, for instance, might create an app to boost mental well-being. They blend their talents to make a great app that helps many.6 This mingling of thoughts and shared resources is crucial for nurturing tomorrow’s creative minds.
Encouraging Resource Sharing
The CEN program helps create a vibe of experimentation and learning by doing. It’s a space where young folks can really shine. By joining these young minds and encouraging them to swap resources, the program supports them in tackling big issues and realizing their ideas.6
Facilitating Cross-Pollination of Ideas
Working together boosts innovative thinking, solving problems, and developing critical thought. The exchange of thoughts and shared lessons excites the rising scientists and inventors. It urges them on to explore new frontiers.6
Developing Financial Literacy
Under Armour starts teaching kids about money early. They explain what revenue, profit, and investment mean. A CEN workshop helps kids manage their money better. They learn to save, invest, and give back78. These activities make learning about money fun and easy.
Demystifying Financial Concepts
Being financially literate means knowing about budgets, savings, and more. It also covers debt, insurance, and taxes. CMR University goes beyond the classroom. They teach real-world economics and money management7.
Students who understand money can make smart life choices. This includes picking the right career and big purchases8.
Teaching Resource Management
With education costs rising and credit cards being common, managing debt is crucial. Programs that focus on money skills help fill this need. They teach students practical money management7.
Working with financial experts prepares students for real jobs7.
CMR University values critical thinking and solving problems7. They provide a complete education. Their students are set to change the finance world7.
The university is all about sharing financial knowledge with everyone7.
Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Mindset
Under Armour doesn’t just focus on business. It also teaches an entrepreneurial mindset to the youth.9 This way of thinking includes problem-solving, adaptability, and always learning. It’s useful in business and life in general.9
For instance, imagine a high schooler with a tough programming problem. Instead of giving up, they take it step by step, look for help online, and talk to friends. This method of facing problems head-on, finding answers, and never stopping learning marks these young folks as true innovators.
Problem-Solving Approach
Under Armour’s initiatives help young people tackle tough problems with a clear mindset.9 They are taught to take big issues and break them into smaller, more manageable pieces. This helps them think critically and come up with creative answers.9 These skills are vital as we move into a future where most kids will end up in jobs we can’t even imagine now.
Adaptability and Continuous Learning
More than problem-solving, Under Armour values adaptability and always learning.9 By overcoming challenges and setbacks, these young folks grow stronger. They see tough times as chances to learn. This way, they adopt a growth mindset and keep improving.10
This ability to adapt and learn all the time helps them stay successful even as things change. Overcoming challenges becomes a part of their journey towards success.9
Under Armour’s programs are all about encouraging an entrepreneurial way of thinking.9 Today’s youth learn not just how to solve problems, but also how to adapt, and have the will to make a real difference.9
With the world always changing, this mindset is gold. It prepares future makers, thinkers, and inventors. They will lead us to a brighter future.9
Inspiring Confidence and Ambition
Under Armour’s efforts focus on celebrating small wins, which boosts young people’s confidence. An example is seen in a CEN pitch contest where a reserved teen enters and secures third place. This win lifts their self-esteem, leading them to set big future goals.
These initiatives help kids aim high, knowing they can make a worldwide difference one day.11 They play a significant role in building up the confidence and ambition of future innovators.
Celebrating Small Victories
Under Armour’s strategies highlight the importance of little successes, improving young individuals’ self-belief.11 Let’s look at a tangible example – a quiet teenager who joins a CEN pitch contest. Their project wins third place, boosting their confidence to aim for remarkable achievements.
Encouraging Big Dreams
The campaigns push kids to dream big, teaching them they can make a real impact globally one day.11 They are crucial in fostering the confidence and ambition of upcoming innovators.
Empowering Future Scientists
Under Armour’s work helps future scientists and innovators. They support kids’ wonder in science. Kids learn by doing, asking and answering questions.12 Many students now take part in real science projects. In fact, more are sharing their research in science journals.12
Fostering Scientific Curiosity
The goal is to get kids excited about science. They learn by doing, which makes things stick. Getting published helps them feel part of the scientific community too.12
Promoting Hands-On Learning
Through cool science activities, kids get how science works.13 At the Science Fair, Year 9 students showed off their skills. They crafted research questions and plans, and learned a lot.13
Building Critical Thinking Skills
The project also boosts smart thinking. Kids learn to solve issues and talk about them well.13 This way, they get good at fixing real-world problems creatively.13
They want to raise a new bunch of scientists and thinkers. Mentors, like teachers, do a lot to help students publish their science work. But they don’t all see publishing as equally important.12 The whole thing was studied with interviews and surveys. This was to understand how mentors help students learn about science better.12 Mentors stress on kids doing it themselves. But there’s a debate on how much guidance mentors should give.12 And on whether mentors should share their thoughts clearly or not.12
Promoting Diversity in STEM Fields
Under Armour knows why it’s vital to push for more diversity in STEM. They work hard to give everyone a fair shot and to battle stereotypes.14 Their latest effort involves shining a light on three standout LGBTQ+ athletes in Division 1. This kind of promotion shows that STEM is for anyone. It urges young people to follow their dreams in areas like science and math. It doesn’t matter where they come from or who they are.
Inclusive Representation
Under Armour is making moves to welcome all kinds of people into STEM fields. This isn’t just about gender.16 Shockingly, Latinos only make up 8% of all STEM workers. But they’re actually 17% of the overall workforce. A similar issue exists for Black Americans; they fill just 9% of STEM jobs despite making up 11% of the working population.16 Showing cool examples from varied backgrounds, Under Armour is striving to inspire a big group of youngsters. They want to see more kids from different places and cultures taking on STEM roles. This is key to smashing the limits of underrepresentation.15
Breaking Stereotypes
Challenging stereotypes in STEM is another big focus for Under Armour.14 Think about how few women study engineering or computer science. Only about 21% of engineering students are women. And in computer fields, it’s just 19%.14 Under Armour is changing the game by giving these young girls and underprivileged kids the tools they need. This includes learning by doing, having great mentors, and real-life examples. They’re telling everyone that STEM is wide open for them, no matter what anyone else thinks.
Science Outreach and Literacy
Under Armour aims to spread the love for science outside classrooms. It works with local communities to boost science awareness and understanding.17 This effort helps people make smart choices about health, food, the planet, and how to judge healthcare options.17 Also, it encourages kids to consider careers in science, tech, engineering, and math. And it’s key for making well-thought-out decisions in leadership and ethics.17
Community Engagement
Their work includes partnering with the Baltimore Community Foundation. They launched a special shirt to raise support for community needs.18 This has led 4,000 kids, families, and teachers in Philadelphia to get involved in science activities. There, 6,000 hours were volunteered by Penn Medicine’s people to help out.18
Accessible Education
Under Armour makes science learning reachable for all kids. They want to make sure every child can enjoy and learn about science and technology matters.17 This is very important for ensuring that kids develop a passion for science. Plus, it nurtures the upcoming group of science and tech creators.17 Through initiatives such as Project BioEYES, they impacted 30 schools and over 3,100 students. They also did DrosoPHILA in 6 schools with over 600 students. These efforts are bringing hands-on science to a wide range of communities.18
In addition, the Science Olympiad @OER program worked with 17 schools that involved 275 students and teachers. They had over 200 hours of volunteer help from Penn’s Science Olympiad experts.18 There were PARS and PASH workshops for 24 high school students. Each program had 12 kids. This was in the spring of 2023.18 Also, the OER Summer Research Internship had 29 Penn grad students and post-docs. They gave over 5,000 hours to mentor 24 high schoolers in the summer of 2023.18 These projects show Under Armour’s dedication to open science education and fuel the passion for science in young hearts.
Conclusion
Under Armour’s efforts are greatly helping future scientists and innovators. Their approach includes encouraging creativity, developing resilience, and teaching teamwork. They also help kids learn about money and how to think like entrepreneurs.
This mix is creating the next group of problem-solvers and leaders. By mixing different backgrounds, working with local towns, and improving access to science, Under Armour is making a deep impact. They’re investing in their brand’s future and in society’s future as a whole.
Imagine the contributions these young people will make as they grow. They’re part of science fairs and getting more chances to do real research. Thanks to this, the future looks very promising for scientists and inventors.
Under Armour is dedicated to sparking curiosity and smart thinking. With their programs, they’re helping kids become part of a creative, diverse, and strong group that will lead the way. We can’t wait to see the big changes they’ll make in our world.
FAQ
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Source Links
- https://about.underarmour.com/en/stories/2020/07/a-letter-to-the-running-community.html
- https://medium.com/@rahulbeyondjustbuilt/nurturing-creativity-the-key-to-unlocking-future-success-in-education-920749f7a443
- https://medium.com/@ciaranpconnolly/building-resilience-and-grit-through-education-2aa8e724fc15
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5869747/
- https://medium.com/open-working-reuse/social-innovation-requires-a-future-generation-of-changemakers-ffc6dbd14d9b
- https://council.science/current/blog/isc-mid-term-members-meeting/
- https://www.cmr.edu.in/blog/empowering-futures-the-crucial-role-of-financial-literacy-and-design-thinking-in-education/
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/financial-literacy-empowering-students-lifes-journey-naineni-shiny
- https://www.csuchico.edu/curee/entrepreneur.shtml
- https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/back-to-school-mindset-cultivating-growth-success-amélie-mazoyer?trk=public_post
- https://projectscientist.org/
- https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.03.15.585231v1
- https://www.nordangliaeducation.com/biss-puxi/news/2024/03/empowering-future-scientists
- https://www.aauw.org/resources/research/the-stem-gap/
- https://englishpluspodcast.com/empowering-women-in-stem-breaking-barriers-and-shaping-the-future/
- https://www.piqe.org/embracing-diversity-in-stem-fields/
- https://www.hudsonalpha.org/unlocking-the-power-of-science-literacy-a-path-to-a-brighter-future/
- https://www.med.upenn.edu/evdresearch/oer-23-24-programming-update.pdf