Venture · Imagine · Build · Express
A mentor-and-make after-school program for K–12. Working professionals show up. Students build real things. AI is a tool, not a shortcut.
A one-page guide
for starting a pilot
this semester
V
Venture
Real exposure to people doing the work. A mentor in the room, a site visit.
I
Imagine
Protected time for curiosity. The tools reward strange questions.
B
Build
Each student ships one working project per quarter, with AI as a collaborator.
E
Express
The work reflects who they are, not a template handed down.
How to start — seven steps
  1. Find a faculty champion. One teacher or counselor willing to give an hour a week for a semester.
  2. Recruit three to five mentors. Local professionals in different fields. Engineer, nurse, designer, tradesperson, small-business owner.
  3. Pick a small first cohort. Eight to fifteen students, grades five through ten. Start small; let it earn growth.
  4. Schedule twelve weeks. One forty-five-minute session per week. Reserve a room. Protect the time.
  5. Set a build goal from week one. Every student ships one working project by week twelve. Website, app, device, short film, or service.
  6. Host a showcase. Invite families, administrators, and local press. Public work makes the program real.
  7. Capture the lessons. A one-page review. Keep what worked. Pass it to the next teacher who runs it.
Sample mentor invitation — copy, adapt, send Hi [Name], a small group of students at [School] is starting a program called VIBE that pairs them with working professionals for one afternoon. Would you spend forty-five minutes with them sharing what you actually do day to day? No prep required. Your example is the point.
A pilot at a glance
Champion
1 teacher — about one hour per week
Mentors
3–5 professionals — one visit, 45 minutes each
Students
8–15 — grades 5–10 recommended
Tools
AI access (free tiers are fine), internet, one laptop per pair
Cost
Near zero. The resource is mostly time.
Duration
12 weeks, one session weekly
Outcome
Each student ships one project and meets three or more professionals
The first twelve weeks
Weeks 1–2
Introductions. Tool orientation. Ground rules for AI use.
Weeks 3–5
Mentor visits. Shadow sessions. Field trip if possible.
Weeks 6–8
Students pick and scope what they will build.
Weeks 9–11
Build. Iterate. Get feedback from a mentor and a peer.
Week 12
Showcase. Families, administrators, and press invited. Each student presents for three minutes.
CC BY-SA 4.0VIBE After School is an open framework from Juno Maps · RAUCH. Free to use, adapt, and share.
Pilot support · [email protected] · vibeafterschool.com
An independent initiative of Juno Maps. Not affiliated with any similarly named educational institution.
V