Idea Academia embraces a youth led program structure that seeks to change the power relationships between those who are affected by oppression, marginalization, etc., and hold the power to address these issues themselves.

Leadership, resilience, and empowerment are cultivated in youth as they come together to decide topics that interest them most, barriers that most impact them, and skills they feel most strongly about developing. Youth hold the power of identifying within themselves and others moments of growth and award each other accordingly, furthering accountability and community building. They do this through giving themselves and/or others custom Idea Academia Loteria Cards that represent different Ideas (goals). These cards become measurements for participants to track their growth and, at the end of the program, they play Loteria (using their custom cards) with their families to celebrate their achievements.

Our non-competitive, gamified curriculum invites participants to directly use STEAM based and cultural learning in developing and nurturing Socioemotional learning skills and cultural knowledge. As participants explore nature, themselves, their communities and gain Loteria Cards that represent this growth, they develop dynamic ways to create a equitable and inclusive worldview that represents their identities and culture.