LEGO Puzzle Challenge

K-12 STEAM education

San Gabriel Valley South LA County of Los Angeles (select only if your project has a countywide benefit)

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

A core issue in STEAM education is that many students lack engagement, resilience, & confidence when faced with complex challenges. Too often, STEAM instruction becomes merely information relay—focused on memorization & correct answers—rather than hands-on, project-based learning that encourages experimentation, resilience, & learning from mistakes. This traditional approach discourages risk-taking & creativity, leaving students disengaged & hesitant to try. Confidence fades when learners are led to believe that STEAM problems are solved instantly with the 'right' answer. Without resilience, even minor setbacks can feel discouraging, causing students to give up instead of push through. Over time, students may begin to believe that STEAM subjects aren’t for them, reinforcing fixed mindsets & limiting their potential. These interconnected challenges—disengagement, lack of perseverance, & self-doubt—must be addressed to unlock high-quality STEAM education.

The LEGO Puzzle Challenge is an innovative, high-impact session designed to engage students & address core challenges in STEAM education: disengagement, lack of resilience, & low confidence. At its core, every subject in STEAM—science, technology, engineering, art, & math—is a puzzle. Each one demands critical thinking, trial & error, & the courage to navigate uncertainty. Yet in many classrooms, students are conditioned to seek the “right answer” quickly. When success doesn’t come immediately, they disengage or shut down.
The LEGO Puzzle Challenge flips that script. It makes struggle a natural—even fun—part of the learning process by giving students hands-on puzzles that build essential problem-solving mindsets. Working with LEGO, a familiar & approachable material, students tackle creative challenges that require persistence, adaptability, & collaboration. Through repeated trial, error, & breakthrough, they build resilience & learn that mistakes are stepping stones—not failures.
Each puzzle also builds confidence by rewarding effort. Students may ask for hints after trying on their own, modeling healthy help-seeking behavior—a lesson teachers can revisit to reinforce persistence & support. Most importantly, the challenge is joyful. It sparks curiosity & play while embedding lifelong habits of grit & growth. Teachers can call back to the experience all year as a reminder that learning is a journey, not a race.

Imagine a Los Angeles where every student—not just the gifted, not just the resourced—feels empowered to tackle challenges in STEAM with confidence, creativity, & resilience. The LEGO Puzzle Challenge is a movement to transform how LA’s youth engage with learning. In a city known for its innovation, diversity, & creativity, this innovative & creative workshop can redefine what high-quality STEAM education looks like.
By bringing the Puzzle Challenge to Los Angeles, we will ignite a culture shift—one where students are excited to struggle, where failure is reframed as part of the process, & where asking for help is seen as a strength. This kind of playful, hands-on learning can bridge equity gaps by making STEAM approachable, memorable, & fun for all learners.
This is how we build the next generation of innovators, engineers, artists, & problem-solvers. Let’s make Los Angeles the city where curiosity leads, resilience thrives, & every student learns to play their way to possibility.