The Project
A Makeathon (a mash-up of the English verb “to make” and the Greek suffix “-athon” as in “Marathon”) describes the path of an innovative idea from
concept to functioning, presentable prototype. For the first time there will be a Makeathon in the form of a cooperation project between the
Gymnasium Höchstadt and the German International School Washington DC (GISW).
Over the course of a year, students work with teachers from the STEM fields, experts from universities and German technology companies to
produce innovative products intended to help overcome everyday problems.
The Makeathon has three phases:
Phase 1: Brainstorming, Teambuilding and Technology (November 2021).
In five online events, mixed teams consisting of students from Höchstadt and the GISW, through brainstorming sessions, settled on three innovative
product ideas. For each product, the potential benefits were clearly described and documented. To create functional prototypes, the system
structures were defined, a material list was created, and the distribution of tasks within the teams was determined.
Phase 2: "Making" in Germany (June 2022)
Ten students from GISW travelled to Höchstadt (Bavaria) to implement their project idea with the support of coaches and present their results
during a STEM Day.
Phase 3: "Making" in Washington DC (October 2022)
Together with their coaches, eleven students from Höchstadt will visit the GISW to optimize their first prototype with their team partners and
present the project as part of the MINTec network.
