Throwback: Catapult Workshop with Boy Scout Troop 531

On September 16, 2024, just a few weeks after founding STEM Innovators and Creators, we had the opportunity to partner with Boy Scout Troop 531 in Maple Grove for our very first workshop. At the time, our nonprofit was still brand new, and this was the first chance we had to see our ideas come to life with a group of scouts.

For this workshop, we introduced a popsicle stick catapult that we had designed as a simple yet hands-on way to explore concepts of engineering and design. The scouts worked in small groups, using instruction packets and materials we provided to assemble their catapults. While building, they had the freedom to add their own touches with different colored sticks and tape, which gave each group a slightly different design. Once the catapults were finished, the scouts were able to test them out with lightweight projectiles, experimenting with how different adjustments affected performance.

A scout from Troop 531 testing his finished catapult during the workshop.

For us, the workshop was more than just an activity. It was the first time we saw our mission in action, with scouts working together, problem solving, and getting excited about STEM through a project they built themselves. It also gave us valuable experience in organizing and running a group activity, something we knew we wanted to keep improving on as the nonprofit grew.

Looking back, it’s meaningful to realize how quickly everything came together. Within two weeks of launching the nonprofit, we had already gathered donations, built out a project idea, and run a workshop with a community group. That experience gave us motivation and confidence to keep moving forward, knowing there was real value in what we were offering.

We’re now working on new kits and planning to return to Troop 531 for another workshop, this time with a fresh project. The catapult workshop will always stand out as the moment where our nonprofit truly began to take shape, and it continues to inspire the direction we are heading today.