Vernon's
youth-led
innovation hub
OARA Youth Innovation Lab — formerly the Okanagan AI and Robotics Academy — is a federally registered not-for-profit in Vernon, BC. We turn K–12 students into makers, coders, and creative problem-solvers. In 2026 we are in a strategic reset, moving to a community-venue model (libraries, schools, and partner spaces).
What started as a small community initiative on East Hill in October 2023 has grown into a thriving innovation lab — with 89 active students across Vernon, Coldstream, and Armstrong.
Our biggest season yet — four teams competed: Mountain Shredders, Excavators, and Team Saturday in the FLL Challenge division, plus Vernon Explorers in FLL Explore. Two Challenge teams and our Explore team won at UBC Regionals and advanced to Provincials in Vancouver.
Vernon Explorers made their debut at UBC Regionals. Mountain Shredders advanced all the way to Provincials in Vancouver.
Mountain Shredders won the Core Values Award at the UBC Regional Qualifier — our first competition season.
Let's connect in Vernon
OARA is in a strategic reset for 2026 and moving to a community-venue model.
We're still here — reach out to talk programs, partnerships, or future plans.
Stay in the Loop
OARA is in a strategic reset for 2026. Subscribe to hear about the small number of sessions we're running and future program updates as plans develop. We only send emails when there's something worth telling you.