We’re excited to share a new immersive course experience for 10th-12th grades—on campus at Beaver—launching winter term 26–27.
WHAT IT IS
Catalyst Lab is a hands-on, innovation- and design-process-centered course that meets on campus for two blocks during the term and guides students in turning ideas into impact. Creative students gain structure and tools to organize their ideas, while analytical students stretch their creative muscles in a dynamic, feedback-rich environment.
During the first phase of the class, students collaborate with an external community partner to develop ideas that address an authentic, human-centered challenge. This shared project builds core skills in design thinking, project management, research, stakeholder engagement, and iterative prototyping. Then, in phase two of the class, students apply those skills more independently to an idea of their choice grounded in a unifying theme and present their work publicly.
Co-taught by an R+D team member and a rotating faculty partner—and enriched by external mentors, speakers, and field trips—the course is intentionally structured to support students new to the design process while also challenging more advanced innovators to deepen their craft. The skills students develop will transfer to all their classes and SDPs—giving students a stronger foundation for planning and executing their own ideas at Beaver and beyond.
THE PILOT: WINTER 26–27
The first Catalyst Lab will be co-taught by Director of Research + Design Blake St. Louis and Visual Arts Department Head David Ingenthron in the winter term of the 26-27 school year. Students will work with Boston Children’s Hospital on a real design challenge: adapting go-karts for children with limited mobility.
HOW TO SIGN UP
Students will have the opportunity to register for Catalyst Lab during the 26-27 course registration process. Because this is a pilot, there will be a follow-up application process for interested students. More details will be shared soon.
Catalyst Lab gives students more time to go beyond their initial idea. They’re designing for a real-world client addressing a real-world challenge, and by expanding the amount of time they have to go through multiple iterations, we help them see the complexity of bringing ideas to life. My hope is that through this course students gain a deeper appreciation for the depth of knowledge and skills that practitioners have in these spaces, and are inspired to explore these topics in college and in their careers.
Blake St. Louis, Director of Research + Design
Catalyst Lab: At a Glance
Launching winter 26-27.
One-term course that meets in two consecutive blocks (not E-block)
Open to students in grades 10-12.
On campus in a dedicated space where students can leave projects in progress.
Students earn both elective credit and credit in the partnering discipline (winter 26–27: visual arts).
Honors credit available.
What will the application look like? Will it be post-registration?
- The application will be sent to all students who register for Catalyst Lab.
- The goal is to learn more about the student’s interests and skills to help build a diverse and enthusiastic cohort genuinely interested in the course.
- Applications will be reviewed by US admin, college counseling, co-teachers, and advisors for input.
- Students that don’t participate in the pilot will work with the Registrar’s office to identify alternative options if necessary.
Will the course be available in terms other than Winter 2026-27?
- During its pilot year the plan is to only run the course during the Winter term. This provides time to prepare for the new course, identify areas to improve, and incorporate any revisions in the course catalog for the 2027-28 academic year.
- Depending on interest, we hope to eventually offer this course multiple terms, with a variety of co-teachers, partners, and projects.
How easy is it for a student to predict which courses they won’t be able to take if they take Catalyst Lab?
- Catalyst Lab meets during 2 blocks so it counts as 10 credits
- A full schedule has 60-70 credits per year so there should be flexibility to take all required (and highly recommended) courses each year
- Depending on their grade level and graduation requirements, students may be able to take only one term instead of two in Visual Arts, Performing Arts, History, and/or Science; however, this decision should be made thoughtfully in consultation with advisors, department heads and college counselors to ensure it aligns with student interests in advanced courses and future career goals.
- Only students who have completed their language graduation requirement may choose not to take two terms of language.
How does the Honors opt in work?
- The course will be opt-in honors determined at the start of the term.
Can students who have gone to NuVu apply for this?
- Students can continue to deepen the skills they developed at NuVu through this class.
- Given the courses students missed while at NuVu, thoughtful consideration is needed to ensure that all graduation requirements are met and the student demonstrates depth across their transcript.
- Part of the application process is to ensure students are on track with all graduation requirements.
How is this different from the research and design aspects of what my other teachers incorporate into their classes?
- The course is structured to provide additional time to connect with partners, develop ideas, prototype, solicit, and incorporate feedback.
- Many classes already incorporate these aspects, though given content and other constraints, may not be able to dedicate as much time as they’d like to the design process.
- Our hope is that we see ripple effects from the Catalyst Lab experience across courses and independent work.
How is this different from SDPs?
- Catalyst Lab teaches students a structured innovation and design process that focuses on key project management skills that help them understand how to go from idea to impact. There will also be many rounds of interaction – cycles of prototyping, feedback, prototyping etc.
- During the second phase of the discourse, students will implement these project management skills when they pitch, plan, and execute their own project (solo or with a small team).
- The course will be taught using a studio model where students consistently share their works-in-progress with peers, teachers and outside experts for input.
- You can learn more about SDPs here.