Education that changes lives - 3rd Event
We are excited to invite you to an event that showcases education that changes the lives of people with disabilities, STEM that motivates students through purpose, and a Pittsburgh pipeline for the next generation of assistive technology innovators.
On July 10, please join the Access Summer Showcase, featuring the Access:Innovation summer programs at Winchester Thurston led by Design to Make a Difference together with 412 Ability Tech Ecosystem organizations.
This event is more than a student presentation. It is a glimpse into what Pittsburgh can become when schools, disability organizations, universities, makers, clinicians, and community partners work together around real human needs.
This is the third year of the summer camp, and this year’s program is the largest yet. Thirty high school students from Winchester Thurston and Pittsburgh Public Schools will showcase assistive technology designs created through human-centered design and 3D printing. Students have been working on real-world challenges connected to people with disabilities, in partnership with CLASS, The Children’s Institute, Inglis Innovation Center, and Reagan’s Journey.
Guests will hear short pitch-style presentations, then have the opportunity to walk through a symposium-style showcase, meet the students, ask questions, and see their prototypes up close.
We are also excited to introduce a new middle school program for summer 2026. Twenty middle school students from Winchester Thurston and Pittsburgh Public Schools will present artistic experiences focused on mental wellbeing. In partnership with Chatham University, Assemble, Lighthouse Brigade, UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and ArtsUp, students have been designing creative experiences around artistic expression as therapeutic and coping mechanisms. Guests will be invited into an interactive gallery walk where they can observe and participate in the work.
The most powerful part of this program is what happens to the students. When they work on assistive technology and disability-centered design, STEM becomes personal. They are not building abstract projects. They are designing for real people, real challenges, and real impact. You can see the motivation on their faces.
This is why we believe Pittsburgh can become the home of Ability Tech innovation.
We would be honored to have you join us, especially if your work touches education, disability inclusion, workforce development, health, technology, philanthropy, or corporate community impact.
Access Summer Showcase
Date: July 10
Time: 9:00 AM–1:00 PM
Venue: Winchester Thurston Campus
High School Program
Joan Clark Davis Center for Interdisciplinary Learning
4951 Centre Ave.
Assistive technology pitch presentations and student symposium
Middle School Program
Upper School, Hilda Willis Room
445 Morewood Ave.
Interactive gallery walk focused on mental wellbeing and artistic expression
Food and beverages will be provided.