For Beth Corcoran and Jon Newton iCAST is nothing less than “a completely different way to learn."

Parents to Grace (Grade 11) and Catherine (Grade 9), Beth and Jon gave to iCAST because they believe it’s built to nurture the kind of thinking, making and communicating that will define the next generation of leaders.

“Grace and Catherine will have opportunities to pursue ideas that genuinely matter to them and to explore learning in a much more applied and experiential way,” says Beth.

What iCAST offers, in her view, is something harder to teach and more durable than any single skill set: the human capabilities that hold their value precisely because they can't be automated.

"Critical thinking, creativity, communication, resilience, ethical decision-making—those are the skills that will help young people navigate uncertainty and lead through change."

The Media Lab holds a particular significance for Beth and Jon. "It's where ideas come to life," Jon adds. "We believe it will help students develop the confidence and fluency to communicate ideas, experiment and solve problems."

The word “confidence” comes up more than once. iCAST, they hope, will give Grace and Catherine the chance to test ideas, embrace uncertainty and "see themselves as capable of creating meaningful change."

That shift from passive learner to active contributor is, for these donors, the whole point. As Beth puts it, "It gives students opportunities to identify problems, think entrepreneurially and develop solutions with real impact. That's often the foundation for leadership and social impact later in life." Their gift to iCAST is this very foundation.

Learn more about iCAST and the Make Way campaign.