EDUCATION
ahej Claire and her parents gathered
around the kitchen island to sketch
out the high school sophomore’s
summer plans. It was early in 2016,
and the soon-to-be 16-year-old had
set her sights on finding a camp that would nurture
her creative streak and help her develop skills in
innovation and entrepreneurship. But the Rancho
Cordova family’s search came up empty.
“[The programs] were either way too far away
— as in across the country — or insanely expen-
sive,” she recalls. “We were just like, ‘This is not
feasible at all.’”
Even as a teen, Claire could sense that the cre-
ativity and critical thinking required to launch a
successful company would be crucial for com-
peting in today’s economy. So she set out to share
those lessons with her peers — and absorb them
herself in the process.
With the help of her parents, she founded Proj-
ect Incubator, a camp for high schoolers focused
on design thinking and entrepreneurship. For five
days, she honed her own skills by schooling her
peers on how to take an idea from concept to pro-
totype, write their own business plan and more. At
the time of its launch in 2016, she felt her program
was one of the only local options for students look-
ing to scratch an entrepreneurial itch.
Just a few years later, there are signs that’s
starting to change. Offerings for youth looking to
gain crucial entrepreneurship skills are evolving
and expanding. Across the U.S., schools, summits
Sahej Claire introduces the concept of design thinking
at a workshop she held at Shriners Hospital for Children
last year. PHOTO: SIMI CLAIRE; COURTESY OF SAHEJ CLAIRE
46
comstocksmag.com | October 2018