That place is Rincón Clubhouse La Chorrera, an out-of-school educational center that is part of The Clubhouse Network and the National Clubhouse Network of Panama, powered by SENACYT, the Municipality of La Chorrera, and Infoplazas AIP.
Students at the Rincón Clubhouse La Chorrera, an out-of-school educational center in Panama.
I’ve had the privilege of coordinating this space for over seven years now, and I can honestly say it’s been a transformative journey. I’ve walked alongside girls and boys between the ages of 12–17 as they go through a process that goes far beyond technical skills. Here, they find their voice. They discover themselves. They dare. And little by little, they grow into leaders who inspire through everyday actions.
And when projects come from their own interests, something shifts. It’s no longer just about learning programming, design, or science. It becomes about building critical thinking, practicing empathy, embracing failure, and developing the self-confidence needed to speak up and defend their ideas.
Students representing the Clubhouse at an environmental education day.
What truly stood out was their response. They didn’t just point out the problem, they created concrete, thoughtful solutions. They designed a public awareness campaign focused on recycling and reducing waste, using digital tools and creative visuals to deliver a message of environmental responsibility throughout La Chorrera.
What moved me the most was seeing how they took full ownership of the process: they researched, debated passionately, designed prototypes, went out into the streets, talked to neighbors, collected feedback, and refined their ideas. This kind of experience shows them what it’s like to create real impact and more importantly, that their voices truly matter.
EcoSmart team, recognized with a 2025 Ciena Solutions Challenge Sustainability Award for their solution addressing solid waste pollution in their community.
En entre Clubhouse los jóvenes suelen sorprenderse con lo que logran desde encender un led hasta completar una línea de código y descubrir todo lo que pueden hacer cuando la tecnología se usa de forma positiva recuerde especialmente un taller de diseño 3D en este un joven creó su primer modelo digital desde cero al verlo impreso en la impresora 3D quedó maravillado, no podía creer que algo que la había imaginado ahora estuviera frente a él de forma física ese momento de asombro le dio la confianza para seguir explorando nuevas áreas como la robótica y la programación.
In the Clubhouse, young people are often surprised by what they achieve, from turning on an LED to completing a line of code and discovering everything they can do when technology is used in a positive way. I especially remember a 3D design workshop in which a young man created his first digital model from scratch. When he saw it printed on the 3D printer, he was amazed. He couldn’t believe that something he had imagined was now physically in front of him. That moment of amazement gave him the confidence to continue exploring new areas such as robotics and programming.
Students at a community tree planting event.
At Rincón Clubhouse La Chorrera, we nurture that sense of community. It’s a space where everyone can show up as their authentic selves, where mistakes are part of the learning process, and where every voice matters. Our four core principles: learning by doing, following personal interests, building community, and fostering trust and respect aren’t just words on paper. They’re lived experiences that change lives.
El mayor consejo es confiar en los jóvenes y en sus intereses cuando un estudiante siente que lo que le apasiona es validar, se abre a aprender mucho más no se trata solo de enseñarles tecnologías, sino de crear un ambiente donde se sientan seguros escuchados y motivados a experimentar, además fomentar la comunidad es clave el aprendizaje colaborativo genera más impacto que lo individual.
The best advice is to trust young people and their interests. When a student feels that what they are passionate about is validated, they open up to learning much more. It’s not just about teaching them technologies, but about creating an environment where they feel safe, listened to, and motivated to experiment. Fostering a community is key; collaborative learning generates more impact than individual learning.
But there are also moments of joy, discovery, and transformation. Like when a student realizes they can speak in public, or decides they want to pursue engineering, or starts organizing something in their neighborhood.
Over the years, I’ve learned that the role of an educator isn’t to fill knowledge gaps. It’s to spark curiosity. And once that fire is lit, there’s no limit to what young people can imagine, create, and lead.
Students at the Rincón Clubhouse space.
Investing in students – in their voices, their creativity, their ideas– is investing in a more conscious, present, and a more hopeful future. All they need is a safe space, the right tools, and adults willing to walk beside them.
When young people are given the chance to express themselves and take action, they don’t just change their own lives, they change the world around them.
