Nihal Gill, the founder of Project Spark, comes back this spring with something a little different for the kids in the Ceres community. With the focus still on the field of STEM, Project Spark will introduce the process of Design Thinking to students in the grades sixth through eighth at the Ceres Community Center.

The goal of Project Spark is to educate the younger generation in the five-step process of Design Thinking which helps children become better critical thinkers and problem solvers. Students will focus on skills needed to bring their imagination, creativity and entrepreneurial ideas to the next level.

Project Spark is a non-profit, whose mission is to reach out to kids in underprivileged areas where STEM, robotics or more critical thinking processes like Design Thinking are overlooked and yet highly valued in urban areas like the Bay Area. The monthly classes will include guest speakers from engineering and robotic industries along with hands-on projects, and supplies and materials for students to incorporate Design Thinking in resolving and problem solving to produce the final product of STEM subjects. Students will learn to: empathize, define the problem, ideate by brainstorming, prototyping and testing the final product.

Families may sign up for classes at the Ceres Community Center, 2701 Fourth Street, or on the city’s website at www.ci.ceres.ca.us and click on the Recreation icon. Classes will be held 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturdays, April 23, and May 12.