PBSKids has a new reality show called Design Squad that is set in the Boston area. Its goal is to get viewers excited about engineering. Eight high school contestants tackle engineering challenges for actual clients — and the person with the most points gets a $10,000 college scholarship from the Intel Foundation.
I caught part of an episode where they had to construct a bike for SCUL (Subversive Choppers Urban Legion) using 3 bikes obtained from an organization called Bikes Not Bombs. I have been meaning to donate my old mountain bike to that organization for a while. It is a non-profit working for alternative transportation, community development, environmental education, meaningful employment, and safe sustainable communities in Roxbury, MA and abroad. I also noticed that in addition to bicycles they are accepting donations of the plastic containers with lids that Kitty Litter comes in for shipping parts and storage.