foundry10

Most U.S. teens are on social media every day, but few are receiving consistent, comprehensive education about how it shapes their lives.

foundry10's Digital Technologies and Education Lab, in partnership with NORC at the University of Chicago, surveyed 1,027 high school students nationwide to understand what social media guidance teens are actually getting, who is delivering it, and what they wish were different.
Here is what the data shows:
📌 Only 1 in 5 teens discuss social media with parents on a weekly basis.
📌 72% of teens learned about dangers like cyberbullying, but only 57% learned about benefits.
📌Teens from lower-income households were less likely to receive instruction from teachers.

Read the full white paper: https://ow.ly/wXrV50Z6m0m

Auditions are often one of the most stressful parts of a theater program. But what if they were designed to help students learn and grow instead?

In this guest blog, Allison Abrahamse, Drama Club Director at Enumclaw High School, shares how her team reimagined auditions by giving students actionable feedback, opportunities to apply it, and multiple chances to demonstrate growth.

The result was more than stronger performances. Students built confidence, discovered new strengths, took greater ownership of their work, and learned from one another throughout the process.

Read the full blog: https://ow.ly/X1Lk50Z5pen

foundry10 researchers are heading to Brighton, United Kingdom as finalists in the Research and Design Challenge at the Interaction Design and Children (IDC) 2026 Conference, one of only three teams selected from submissions around the world.

Associate Researcher Riddhi Divanji, Program Developer Jayne Everson, Senior Researcher Travis W. Windleharth, and Graduate Student Researcher Aayushi Dangol will present their work on Thursday, June 25.

The project brought together a team of middle school youth and researchers to co-design an AI-powered robotic fish built to detect invasive Eurasian watermilfoil, combining robotics, 3D modeling, and AI classification with youth-centered, sustainability-focused learning. Their paper will be published in the IDC 2026 conference proceedings, with the winner and runner-up announced during the event.

Many Gen Z youth see entry-level jobs as a way to gain experience, build skills, and prepare for future careers. At the same time, many also described concerns about low pay, stressful work environments, and limited advancement opportunities.

In a new white paper, foundry10 researchers share findings from interviews with 30 youth ages 16-24 across the United States about their understanding of entry-level jobs and the hiring process.

The report explores:
• What youth want from their first jobs
• How young people think about soft skills and workplace success
• Concerns youth have about today’s job market
• How family expectations and personal experiences shape career decisions

Read the full report: https://ow.ly/E5yX50Z1Smu

At Baseball Beyond Borders, baseball and softball are helping youth build confidence, leadership, and social and emotional learning (SEL) skills that carry into everyday life.

The organization works with youth across King County through trauma-informed coaching, youth leadership opportunities, and culturally responsive programming designed to create spaces where young people feel supported both on and off the field.

foundry10 recently supported Baseball Beyond Borders as they expanded coach training and youth ambassador programming to strengthen long-term impact for youth across the Seattle area.

Learn more: https://ow.ly/ZQ5x50YZKvt

Youth athletes with ParaSport Spokane are leading wheelchair basketball programming in P.E. classes across eastern Washington.

Their work is helping more students engage with adaptive sports while creating space for youth with disabilities to lead, teach, and participate fully in school communities.

foundry10 is proud to support ParaSport Spokane’s efforts to expand adaptive sports programming and increase access to equipment and community-based opportunities.

Read more: https://ow.ly/T6AH50YVKGr

This summer, foundry10 is proud to help sponsor BioImpact Summer Camps at UW Bothell. These immersive, week-long experiences are designed to give high school students a real look at careers in biotech, medicine, and the life sciences.

Across four different sessions, students will work in real lab settings, build technical skills, and connect with professionals from local medical centers, biotech companies, and research institutions. From dissections and DNA electrophoresis to immunology and biotech entrepreneurship, these camps go well beyond the classroom.

Sessions run throughout the summer with options for students at different levels of experience and interest. Rising 10th through 12th graders are eligible, and scholarships are available.

Learn more and register today: https://ow.ly/iwBA50YViRV

Book clubs do more than strengthen reading skills. They create space for students to learn from and with each other. At Frank Love Elementary, 3rd and 4th graders participate in structured book clubs where peer conversation, collaborative problem-solving, and a wide range of perspectives are at the center of the experience. For these students, moments of shared reading help build both academic confidence and a deeper sense of community.

foundry10 is proud to support Frank Love Elementary in creating meaningful reading experiences for their students.

Applications are now open for the foundry10 Youth Leadership Cohort!

This four-week, paid summer experience gives youth the chance to develop professional skills, contribute their perspectives to education research and programs, and even design a philanthropic proposal for a local education organization.

What participants gain:
✅Hands-on leadership and professional development
✅Real workplace experience that strengthens college, scholarship, and job applications
✅ A network of peers and professionals across foundry10
✅$25/hour compensation ($2,200 total for completing the full program)

📍In-person in Seattle (Mondays and Tuesdays at the foundry10 office, Wednesdays and Thursdays at The Cloud Room)
📅July 6-Aug. 6, 2026
🎓Open to youth ages 14-18 | 12 spots available

Applications close May 22, 2026. Apply now: https://ow.ly/PxAR50YS05i

foundry10 is proud to sponsor Survive the Sound, a free interactive online game created by Long Live the Kings that tracks the real-life migration of salmon and steelhead trout through the Puget Sound.

Now in its 10th year, Survive the Sound uses data collected by NOAA scientists to raise awareness about the challenges facing these threatened fish populations. Players pick a fish avatar, follow its live migration, and learn about the obstacles, pollution, predators, and human-made barriers that make survival difficult.

The game has become a valuable educational resource, with classrooms across the Pacific Northwest using it to teach students about ecology and conservation. The race kicks off today and runs through May 1.

Learn more at: https://ow.ly/BJbj50YQPhV