REDI Lab’s Work
Our Work—Rooted in Student Choice & Student Interest
Enabling teachers, schools, and communities to embrace transformational learning—focusing on skills that will equip students for success both in school and in life beyond the classroom.
“Agency may be the one most important factor in human happiness and well-being.”
Dr. William Stixrud + Ned Johnson, The Self-Driven Child
REDI Lab @ CA
Our program is designed using principles and concepts taken out of industry and the business world – specifically Silicon Valley. Our values are agency, creativity, and community, and our “why?” is to build community around individual student passions and ideas, and create value by sharing them. We are so glad you are joining us in this optimistic wager to uncover more of what’s possible.
Don’t miss this incredible opportunity to shape your future! By joining the REDI Lab, you’ll embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and innovation.
Why join the REDI Lab?
Personalized Learning
Pursue your unique interests and goals while staying on track for graduation.
Mentorship & Support
Work closely with experienced mentors to guide your journey.
Real-World Experience
Gain practical skills and knowledge that will prepare you for college and beyond.
Supportive Community
Connect with like-minded peers and build lasting friendships.
Details on REDI Lab Signature Trimester Experience (for Juniors & Seniors @ CA)
Juniors and Seniors have the opportunity to enroll in the REDI Lab during the second or the third trimester. The process to join begins by discussing the options with an advisor, a teacher, and/or a member of the REDI Lab team. Considerations around course schedule during a given trimester, involvement in extracurriculars, and work toward the completion of graduation requirements are the primary factors to consider when choosing Trimester 2 or 3. This choice and agency is the beginning of directing your learning to discover more of what’s possible in your education with the support, guidance, and help from CA and REDI Lab faculty.
How to join: After submitting an interest form, students meet with a member of the REDI Lab to discuss schedules, project aspirations, as well as interests to discern what trimester option would be best. Once an offer is made to join a REDI Lab Trimester cohort, the student has the opportunity to join, decline, or defer to the next school year.
REDI Lab Elective: “The Entrepreneurial Mindset” (for grades 9-12)
Students can take one trimester in either the first or second trimester, or they can take both and earn 3 college credits through the University of Delaware Horn Entrepreneurship program. This elective is offered on campus and is crafted to foster critical thinking, creativity, adaptability, and an innovative mindset within a dynamically changing global landscape.
Trimester 1 and/or 2, The Entrepreneurial Mindset: Thinking Like a Visionary
Ever wonder how innovators like Taylor Swift, Bad Bunny, Greta Thornberg, and Oprah WInfrey see opportunities where others see obstacles? In this dynamic one-trimester REDI Lab elective, you’ll develop the mindset and creative thinking strategies that drive world-changing entrepreneurs.
This course is about transformation – not just of ideas, but of how you think, solve problems, and approach challenges. Through real-world projects and exclusive case studies from top business schools, you’ll develop essential capabilities that define entrepreneurial thinking:
- Spotting hidden opportunities in everyday problems
- Building resilience and adapting to uncertainty
- Breaking free from conventional thinking patterns
- Turning setbacks into stepping stones
- Creating compelling narratives that inspire action
You’ll hear from actual clients and tackle real challenges, but our focus isn’t on building businesses – it’s on building your capacity to think like an entrepreneur. You’ll learn to:
- Navigate complexity with confidence
- Transform vague problems into clear opportunities
- Challenge assumptions that limit innovation
- Build on others’ ideas through effective collaboration
- Test and refine solutions through rapid iteration
This course is ideal for students who:
- Are curious about how innovators think and work
- Want to develop creative problem-solving skills
- Enjoy tackling complex, open-ended challenges
- Seek to turn obstacles into opportunities
- Want to make a meaningful impact in any field
By the end of the trimester, you’ll have transformed your approach to problem-solving and innovation, gaining confidence in your ability to navigate uncertainty and create positive change.
This elective is open to students in grades 9-12. No prior experience needed – bring your curiosity and willingness to think differently.
MS REDI Lab Interim
Spend time in the mountains, getting outdoors, building community, then exploring Denver!
8th Grade REDI Lab Capstone
Have an experience and gain the tools to work through ambiguity on the way to fun and creative [maybe even wild!] solutions.
REDI Lab Student Project Highlights
REDI Lab student projects represent the best of what young people can produce when given the opportunity. These students projects are from the REDI Lab Signature Trimester Experience.
2022-2023 – Senior REDI Lab
Sawyer Risch, ’23
She followed the question, “Can marketing ever be ethical?” And from her research, interviews, writing, and thinking developed the Risch Scale for Marketing Ethics.
2022-2023 – Senior REDI Lab
Owen Tilman, ’23
After researching and analyzing significant Supreme Court decisions, he concluded that Roe vs. Wade was weak case law. He connected to other cases of weak law and then attempted to make people care.
2022-2023 – Junior REDI Lab
Tyler Schulte, ’24
Took a project started in Tenth Grade to come up with a comprehensive plan for “Redesigning Denver”. His conclusion is that our city could be better, especially if it is designed for a diverse population as opposed to automobiles.
2022-2023 – Junior REDI Lab
Naomi Wolff, ’24
Created Metamorphosis, an her first album of five original songs that she wrote, performed, produced, and mastered, and launched it on Spotify.
2021-2022 – Senior REDI Lab
Andrew Edelmann, ‘22
Designed and built a prototype for a non-electric guitar amplifier.
College: Loyola University (CA)
2021-2022 – Senior REDI Lab
Ann Butler, ‘22
“Everyone deserves to look forward to tomorrow. Be the reason someone can.” Ann developed an organization that strives to equip more people with the skills and resources to help end the mental health crisis faced by so many today.
College: Babson College
2021-2022 – Junior REDI Lab
Cooper Carson, ‘23
Designed and built a surfboard from scratch with a focus on embracing new experiences – how to prepare for and learn from them.
2021-2022 – Junior REDI Lab
Diana Reidy, ‘23
Wrote, produced, recorded, and published an original podcast in which she discovered the ways people turn passions into careers and education.
2020-2021 – Senior REDI Lab
Nathalie Maffei, ‘21
Co-developed an online learning platform for students who needed additional academic support following the COVID-19 pandemic.
College: Dartmouth
2020-2021 – Senior REDI Lab
Ulysses Rico-Moncado, ‘21
Wrote, directed, and produced a public service announcement for Latinx populations fearful of getting the COVID vaccine. Comcast funded the PSA and aired it during the 2021 NBA finals on local Denver channels.
College: USC
2020-2021 – Junior REDI Lab
JJ Moore, ‘22
Explored racism and bigotry and its relationship to hate by conducting in-depth interviews with 20 people.
College: Harvard
2020-2021 – Junior REDI Lab
Jack Younger, ‘22
Developed an app to “scrub” restaurant menus for people with allergies or food intolerance to find safe places to eat when traveling.
College: Stanford
2019-2020 – Junior REDI Lab
Sam Ehrman, ‘21
Researched and developed a “kickstart” theory to help people develop new habits and skills in their lives.
College: Washington University (St. Louis)
2019-2020 – Junior REDI Lab
Brooke Taylor, ‘21
Created an online business to sell her own original artwork as a part of learning how to turn a passion into a living.
College: Maryland Institute College of Art
2018-2019 – Junior REDI Lab
Grace Fuselier, ‘20
Developed a deck of curiosity cards called “Lost in Thought” to promote authentic learning through inquiry.
College: Swarthmore
2018-2019 – Junior REDI Lab
Cooper Koffman, ‘20
Worked on solving the Riemann Hypothesis and discovered that math does not always have the answers.
College: Princeton
2017-2018 – Junior REDI Lab
Jane Doherty, ‘19
Expanded The Synapse Project to raise money and develop an online curriculum that inspires young women to explore neuroscience in college.
College: Georgetown
2017-2018 – Junior REDI Lab
Ari Fierer, ‘19
Designed and built furniture using sustainable materials and live-edge wood. design. He also formed a business to sell his work.
College: Swarthmore
2016-2017 – Junior REDI Lab
Johanna Cotto, ‘18
Developed a spoken word poetry book, dedicated to her mother. Published 100 copies and competed in local poetry slams.
College: University of Northern Colorado
Currently – Graduate Student at the University of Denver, International Studies
2016-2017 – Junior REDI Lab
William McCormick, ‘18
Wrote a business plan and pitch for AnyWhair, a company based on the concept of Uber using privately owned planes.
College – Lehigh University
Currently – Software Engineer in the New Grad Rotation Program at Blue Origin
2015-2016 – Proof of Concept
Nick Bain, ‘16
Spent a trimester studying the efficiency (or inefficiencies) of a school schedule as well as the dynamics of flight.
College – MIT
Diana Reidy ’23: The Impact of REDI Lab
Zoe Cope ’23: The Value of REDI Lab
REDI Lab Video Presentations
2023 Junior Presentations
2022 Junior Presentations Pt. 1
2022 Junior Presentations Pt. 2
2022 Senior Presentations Pt. 1
2022 Senior Presentations Pt. 2
2021 Junior Presentations Pt. 1
2021 Junior Presentations Pt. 2
2020 Presentations
2019 Presentations
REDI Lab Summer Academy
REDI Lab Summer Academy
REDI Lab Summer Academy is an opportunity for young people in the Denver area who want to experience a highly personalized and engaging version of school. It is an opportunity for any high school student to identify an idea that they want to share with the world and develop a project based around it.
The REDI Lab engages students in the principles of Research, Entrepreneurship, Design, and Inquiry to help them grow as thinkers and problem solvers who are better prepared for college, careers, and life. It positions students as decision-makers in their learning and equips them with design thinking to address challenges along the way.
During this two-week summer intensive, participants will experience both rigor and relevance as well as freedom and creativity in learning. More importantly, this learning will take place within a community where each individual explores their own unique passions and interests.
At the end of the two-week academy, participants will have:
- an idea worth sharing with the world
- new professional skills and more self-confidence
- a personalized letter of recommendation for post-secondary use
- a professionally produced video of their final presentation
- access to supporters to help them in future endeavors
The REDI Lab @ CA transforms education into a personalized learning journey that is creative, rigorous, and relevant.
We believe that all people are curious, especially youth, and, when given a process and structure to explore their interests and what motivates them, individual learning excels.
Sessions will be held in the new REDI Lab Coleman Center in the Mariposa neighborhood at 1299 W. 10th Ave., near the 10th and Osage Light Rail Station.
Travel to and from the REDI Lab space varies per student and should be coordinated with REDI Lab Director Tom Thorpe.
In 2023, the REDI Lab Summer Academy will hold one two-week program. The session runs July 10-21.
Schedules are flexible and students can join remotely if needed.
The cost of the two-week program is $1,500. For students who request it and qualify, the REDI Lab Summer Academy is offered at a reduced cost or for free.
All meals, supplies, and RTD transportation are included in the tuition.
Travel to and from the REDI Lab space varies per student and should be coordinated with REDI Lab Director Tom Thorpe. Email Tom at [email protected] with questions.
The program is offered to students currently in Grades 9, 10, and 11 from ANY SCHOOL in the Denver Metro Area.
Participants will be chosen from an applicant pool. The REDI Lab faculty will read the applications, interview applicants and recommenders, and carefully choose the participants for this pilot program.
Registration is now open and will remain open until Monday, June 3, 2024.
Students will think big and bold as they identify the questions they want to research on their way to choosing a project and designing a final presentation of the one idea worth sharing. Final presentation dates and locations will be shared soon.
For more information, please contact Tom Thorpe, Director of the REDI Lab @ CA.
Hear From Summer Academy Alumni
The REDI Lab Summer Academy is made possible through the generosity of Aimee and Jonathan Coleman.
REDI Lab For Teachers
Learn To Cultivate Real Skills & Genuine Enthusiasm
This is for people who believe that the role of schools must be redefined. These courses grew out of continuous improvement cycles managed in the REDI Lab. It is based on a strategic framework that adheres to the following principles:
Design for Purpose
Curate learning with intention
Inform Practice
Create space for active learning
Convene Conversation
Value the transformative power of dialogue
Process to Learn
Debrief for self-actualization
Single Day Workshops
We offer 3 to 4 per year. Our most recent one was a partnership with Brink Literacy Project.
December 12, 2025: Reframing Assessment
March 7, 2025: TBD
Registration coming soon
July 21 – 25, 2025
REDI Lab Teacher Summer Institute
A week of design thinking for the classroom, student agency, and more. Details forth coming.
Registration coming soon
August 4-6
Retool School/Back To School Bootcamp For Educators
Details forth coming.
Registration coming soon
REDI Lab Partners
We want to work with your school: individual teacher or classrooms, whole divisions, schools, admin teams and more. Like with students, we sit alongside you and design the program that fits your school best. Reach out to learn more!
Our Work With Schools Section Coming Soon
REDI Lab Newsletter: Yes, &…
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