Hk Maker Lab

Free Summer Engineering Design Program For Rising High School Juniors & Seniors

Hk Maker Lab is a free hands-on, project-based engineering design summer program for high school students graduating in 2026 or 2027. It runs for 5 weeks from July 7 through August 8, 2025. Hk Maker Lab includes the first 3-week session of Columbia's Summer High School Academic Program for Engineers (SHAPE) plus a 2-week digital media experience. So you get SHAPE at no cost and much more!

By successfully completing Hk Maker Lab, you gain the option to enroll in NY Bioforce the following year, which includes a paid summer internship at a prestigious research or health care institution. You also become a lifelong member of Hk's alumni community, which gives you access to special educational and networking events and other academic and career support.

Application Info

Prospective Students

Eligibility & Application

Applications for 2025 will open in early December.

What To Expect

Learn more about the Hk Maker Lab program.

Student Success

Hear from alumni about their Hk Maker Lab experience.

Eligibility & Application

Priority Application Deadline: December 18th, 2024

Regular Application Deadline: January 8th, 2025

Who is Eligible?

This program serves students from backgrounds that have been historically excluded from STEAM fields, including students of color, women, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, and first generation college students.

Additionally, an eligible applicant...

Is currently in10th or 11th grade (graduating in 2026 or 2027)
Attends a NYC public or charter high school
Can demonstrate educational and/or economic disadvantage:
- Applicant attends a NYC high school that has an Economic Need Index (ENI) of 80% or higher. Click here to check your school's ENI.
- Applicant family income qualifies for Medicaid, SNAP (EBT card), TANF, or other similar government aid OR they live in public housing.

How do I Apply?

We run Hk Maker Lab in collaboration with SHAPE, which means that you'll need to complete both applications. BUT WAIT! Make sure that you complete the Hk Maker Lab application first and that you follow these steps:

Submit the brief Hk Maker Lab application through the button below.
If you qualify, you will be invited to interview with the Hk team.
After you complete the interview, you will be notified of your conditional acceptance.
Accepted applicants receive instructions to complete Columbia's SHAPE application ASAP to confirm their acceptance and finalize the process.

Students who have questions regarding the application should contact our Program Coordinator, Shannon (shannon@hypothekids.org).

Apply Now

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What To Expect

Hk Maker Lab students will immerse themselves in the fundamental principles of engineering, get hands-on experience in design & innovation techniques, and complete projects under the mentorship of our experienced instructors. We aim to educate and inspire students at an early stage so that they get a strong start to a future STEAM career. The program provides a rich, multi-faceted learning experience while developing a network to support future academic and work endeavors.

Curricula

Hk Maker Lab contains two phases:

Phase 1 (weeks 1-3): Students complete a course led by Columbia Engineering faculty, such as Biomedical Engineering or Innovation and Design. The course in which a student is placed depends on their preference, with priority given to students who submitted applications earliest.

Sample Curriculum from Biomedical Engineering Course

Phase 2 (weeks 4-5): All Hk Maker Lab students converge to work on final interdisciplinary group projects. The projects involve creating digital media, such as an app or a web site, that addresses a global health disparity. Here are some examples of students' digital media projects: