IVDU students joined students from 19 Jewish schools across New York and New Jersey to participate in CIJE’s high-school age hackathon, held recently in Industry City, Brooklyn. The event focused on creating practical solutions for accessibility challenges faced by individuals with disabilities and Yachad was welcomed as the featured organization.
Yachad, a division of the Orthodox Union, is an international organization dedicated to enriching the lives of Jewish individuals with disabilities and their families, enhancing their communal participation and connection to Judaism. Under their educational arm, IVDU schools provide support in learning for individuals with mild-to-moderate social, intellectual and developmental delays.
Rebecca Mayer, Director of Talent Development and Volunteer Engagement at Yachad, presented different scenarios highlighting various accessibility issues and encouraged participants to address these needs with their inventions.
Participants were tasked with designing innovative prototypes that would help individuals with disabilities navigate daily challenges. One solution involved a weighted keyboard tailored for a participant with cerebral palsy. Designed to make typing easier, the keyboard slides toward the user’s direction to enable straightforward typing.
Other creative solutions included a cooking aid for individuals with tremors and a unique walking stick for the visually impaired equipped with a camera sensor. Each team presented their ideas during the day-long event and competed for recognition in various categories. One of the IVDU team’s projects secured second place, and highlighted the students’ teamwork and creativity.
Mayer reflected on the broader impact of the event which engaged hundreds of teens in thinking about accessibility. “We’re talking about hundreds of people in the room who are all in the hustle and bustle of making space more accessible,” she shared, emphasizing the powerful atmosphere of collaboration and learning. This shift in perspective encourages a deeper understanding of the diverse challenges that exist in their communities.
In addition to the problem-solving focus, the event served as a platform for learning about inclusivity. Many students were exposed to scenarios they had never encountered before, such as how to ensure that individuals with disabilities feel safe and included in everyday activities.
As these young innovators look to the future, the lessons learned at CIJE’s hackathon may inspire greater commitment to advocating for accessibility and inclusion.