MENTORSHIP IN ACTION: Teens Code, Students Lead, and Real Projects Happen

July 2025 

~3 min read

What happens when you treat teenagers like real developers and university students like real leaders?

That’s exactly what Star for Life Ukraine and IT STEP University set out to explore in the Tech Youth Mentorship Program – a pilot project that paired student-mentors with teams of school-aged participants to create actual tech solutions from the ground up.

Not just lessons. Not just theory. But real tools. Real teamwork. Real tech.

Over three months, student-mentors guided 25 young teens through the full tech development journey – from idea to prototype. They met weekly, planned their work like a startup team, and presented their final products at a public Demo Day.

Why We Launched the Tech Youth Mentorship Program?

Because we believe in this simple idea:

If you trust young people with real responsibility, they’ll surprise you.

This program was built to:

• Empower teens to create actual tech tools, not just learn theory

• Give university students a shot at leading teams, managing projects, and growing their soft (and hard) skills

• Prove that mixed-age collaboration can spark innovation

How It Worked?

Each team had 1 student mentor and 8-9 schoolkids with talents in coding, design, writing, planning – you name it.They brainstormed, built, tested, failed, fixed, and launched. Just like a real startup.

“It felt like working at a real tech company. We had tasks, roles, a project board – and actual deadlines!”, shared Oleksandr Mazur (8th grade, Stepanivka, Sumy region)

Mentors got guidance from the Star for Life Ukraine team, and everyone took part in pitching workshops and a final presentation in front of peers and organizers.

What They Built?

Each team worked on a meaningful, functional tool designed to solve a real-world problem:

🤖 Telegram FAQ ChatbotBuilt to support new participants in programs like this one – answering common questions, offering links, and reducing pressure on human coordinators.

“I was amazed by how our bot actually worked and helped people. You really feel like you created something meaningful,” said Yaroslav Persyk (7th grade, Izmail)

😊 Mood-Based Content GeneratorA mental health and motivation tool that offers personalized content – quotes, memes, and encouragement – based on the user’s emotional state.

“Working in a team was the best part. Everyone brought their own ideas to it. That’s what made it great,” – Diana Melnyk (6th grade, Truskavets)

📅 SmartPlanner AppA planning tool to help teens organize their study routines, personal goals, and daily habits – complete with calendar, to-do lists, and reminders.

“Being part of a team that shares your goals and passions is so inspiring — even with the challenges, I’m glad I took part,” shared Maria Pasichna (10th grade, Dnipro)

What’s Next?

At the end of the program, almost every participant asked the same thing:“Can we do this again?”

And the answer is: Yes. Definitely.

We’re already working on the next edition of the Tech Youth Mentorship Program – with better structure, more mentors, and more opportunities for young people to build, lead, and grow. This is just the beginning 😉

Thank You

We’re incredibly grateful to our partner IT STEP University, to our passionate mentors, and to the school participants who showed that age is no barrier when creativity, teamwork, and purpose come together.

Want to join the next wave?

📩 Reach out to us: team@starforlife.org.ua