Kids Day 2013

A Day of Learning, Exploration and Design by our Next Generation Leaders.

Last Thursday was Meyer Design’s Take-Your-Kids-to-Work-Day. This action-packed event is a full-day program where kids experience the working world and gain a deeper understanding of what Mom or Dad is up to during their workday.

This year’s theme was “Work in Progress.” Divided into three teams of four to five kids, ages 7 to 14 became professional project managers and designers tasked with designing a new playground for their “client” (a Meyer Senior Designer).

Each team went through a five phase process to take their playground from concept to a physical model that they presented at the end of the day.

Phase One was Programming. The teams interviewed their “client” to understand the client’s needs and preferences.



A team translates "client" Tim Wanaselja's playground
 preferences into design concepts.

Phase Two was Research. The teams conducted a site survey at a local park for inspiration, gathered images from magazines and website for ideas and used Meyer Design’s Resource Center for materials. From this information, each team member created an Inspiration Board.



Right: Testing out some polayground equipment for design inspiration.
 Left: Putting together a dynamic inspiration board.

Phase Three was Documentation. The teams created their shared vision for the playground by sketching their design on 30 by 30 inch paper.

Drawing up the design plans.

A quick break to decorate and enjoy cake pops!

Cake pops!

Phase Four was Model Building. Each team created a physical model based on their drawings. True Architects in the making!

Finished model of an innovative playoground.

Phase Five, the final Phase and the day’s closing, was Client Presentations. Each team had half an hour to compose a professional presentation on their final design to give to their respective client.  At this time, each team member received their own professional business card with their “company” name.

The entire Meyer Design staff gathered to hear the presentations and see the final results. All-in-all, Kids Day was a huge success resulting in three fantastic models for exciting new playgrounds as well as over 50 kids and Meyer staff who shared a fun and very special day.

Team "Grand Slammers" with "client" Mike Stanczak.

The Superstars team.

The Dream Team.

Photos by Cashae Davis.

Meet Cashae Davis Wingate, Meyer Design’s Mastery School Intern

By Cashe Davis Wingate

Hello Everyone

I’m pleased to meet you. I am the new Intern at Meyer Design, Inc. I go to Mastery Shoemaker Charter School. It’s the first Mastery school that was created in West Philadelphia. Mastery is a great college-preparation school. This school prepares you for the life ahead into college and adulthood. There are many classes with strict rules applicable to life outside of school that helps prepare us for the future. This includes having a future career in a successful business job. I’m not saying that everyone would be successful at Mastery, but it’s solid preparation for the tough challenges in life that could happen.

Internship Program

In the 10^th grade year, sophomores have to attend a class called ‘Internship: College Coordination’. This class is required for 10^th graders. It prepares you for college through training in financial aid, GPA goals, and college requirements, but also helps prepare students for life beyond college. For this class, students are required to do a semester-long internship. This both gives you experience in a job setting and real job skills.

My Journey to Meyer

I became an Intern at Meyer Design, Inc.  after vigorous interviewing. In the Internship class, we were sent to different locations over Philadelphia area for internship interviews. The interviews were based on everything that my teacher had taught us in how to be accepted into the types of jobs that were best suited for us. Students were evaluated on manners, non-verbal communication (body movements, professional dressing, and eye contact), the amount of questions we asked, and our resume. My Internship Coordinator recommended that I go to an interview that she thought would be a good-fit for me based on my resume and interests. The place that I went to was called Meyer Design, Inc.

After my interview, Meyer Design accepted me as their intern. I thought that the place was a very good fit. It had a lovely environment and was very peaceful. After my first week of working at the company, I thought, “this place could be the type of place to help me with my writing and researching skills so I may completely understand something that I never noticed before.”

What I’ve Learned so far at Meyer Design

I am beginning to learn many new skills at this company that could help me in going to college and into my future. The things that I’ve been working on for the past months were things that could help make the company better. For example, I’ve been researching best practices in social media through online research and listening to professional webinars and I have been assisting the financial department with file organization. I have also helped with the organization of Meyer’s Resource Library; this is there collection of sample fabrics and materials that they interior designers use for inspiration.

There are many things that I would like to learn while being at Meyer Design, Inc. such as gaining a deeper knowledge of the organization and how it works, and building more skills. But there are a lot of things that are still occurring so I’m just taking my time to learn and experience it all., I’m sure that all of this experience will relate back to my main goal which is to build a good future.

Forward Thinking

The type of future I would want isn’t something that I’ve decided yet, but I would like something that could involve freelancing. I don’t want to be stuck with the same thing forever. I want to try a lot of new things and learn through everything. I’m sure that there will probably be one day that I do stick with a big company or job, but not now. I have dreams to be a photographer, or maybe a criminal investigator working in the morgue; both seem very interesting. But, for now, I’m just taking small critical steps toward my professional future.