What is Innovate Dallas?
Innovate Dallas is about bringing our schools, community, and businesses together to instill the skills and mindsets of innovation that are needed to drive economic growth in our region.
Great minds have come from Dallas – arts to athletics, education, politics and science. The singing artist Johnny Ray, football hall of famer, Johny Kitzmiller, leaders like Irene Hazard Gerlinger, the first women regent of the University of Oregon and Mark Hatfield, Governor and U.S. Senator. Even a self-taught microchip designer, Jeri Ellsworth. She is one of the women who broke into high-tech without anyone’s help but her own.
Innovate Dallas promises to carry on this tradition. Our vision is for all students to graduate with the skills necessary to be successful in whatever career-paths they choose and be ready for success in our 21st Century economy.
Connecting people to possibilities.
Agriculture
Agriculture has always been about innovation. Farmers and vineyard growers in Polk county are using the latest technology, crop varieties, and equipment to produce and sell their products around the world, including world-class wines. Dallas is a hub of activity in the county with dozens of farming and winery operations in one of the most fertile areas in the Willamette Valley.
Manufacturing
MAK metals had a vision to produce the best wood pellet BBQ in the world using the highest quality materials and the latest technology to engineer and build the most technologically advanced grill on the market. They innovated several new technologies and pioneered advanced manufacturing practices to produce an award winning wood pellet BBQ made in the United States.
Health Care & Retirement Living
With a focus on growth and innovation, our community is serviced by West Valley Hospital and Dallas Retirement Village. Combined, these community partners have been serving Dallas for over 100 years, and continue to evolve and adapt to meet the demands of the people they serve. These local industry leaders are paving the way for demonstrating a spirit of innovation for our next generation.
Who We Are…
Local businesses make a big impact
Offering expertise and mentoring to help solve our complex problems.
Young minds bring tomorrow's solutions
Learning to see ourselves as creative innovators, beyond the limits of the classroom.
Educators rising to the challenge
Providing tools for students to realize their potential.
Our community serving itself & others
Supporting each other, developing ideas, and enacting change.
Our Community
Innovate Dallas brings our schools, community & businesses together to learn the skills & mindsets of innovation needed to drive economic growth in our region
Parent & Business Owner
“I love the idea of collaboration between educators and local businesses. Teaching often happens in a vacuum of work-world reality. Innovate Dallas brings business and industry to the classroom and I believe it will give our students relevant, hands-on learning and growth that they’re excited about. It’s a win-win for all.”
Innovator
“The relationships I’ve built through my 12 years of education in Dallas have been instrumental to my success both inside of school and out. It excites me to see the growth of technology use and diverse programs at all grade levels for students to develop their passions while they’re here!”
Education
“Our education system must continually innovate to provide the best opportunities for our students to identify and utilize their natural skills, talents, and abilities in preparing to be the creators, problem solvers, and leaders of tomorrow giving them a competitive advantage in the economy of the future.”
Economic Development
“As an economic development professional, I fully support local youth working with community members and local businesses to solve community challenges. This gives young people hands-on learning opportunities to gain skills for their tomorrow, while working to make Dallas a better place for all of us to grow, learn and live today.”
Share Our Stories & Successes
Make-a-thon 2018
Recently we hosted our second Make-a-thon at LaCreole Middle School. We partnered with Sparkfun Electronics for a day of learning with a goal to create a deeper learning experience for our community. Dallas Make-a-thon 2018 was well attended and a key take-away was...
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Innovate Dallas Launches!
As a launch for Innovate Dallas, a week of activities were held highlighting the work that is being done in our local schools and to begin conversations around community connections in support of creating authentic learning experiences for students. The week was...
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Innovate Dallas Kickoff!
Having a clear goal in mind and knowing what and why we innovate is an important first step. Our city is a great place to live and has great potential in helping our kids to grow to meet their potential in an ever changing world economy. We invite our community,...
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A Mayor’s Perspective-Brian Dalton
I do not have children and my education is a distant memory - I’m pretty sure I went to high school, maybe even here. Also, I am not a professional educator and have no command of the facts associated with that profession which will soon become evident. However,...
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Dallas Oregon’s First Make-a-thon
On Saturday, November 4, 2017, LaCreole Middle School, held the first ever community-led make-a-thon in Dallas, Oregon. The idea was brought to the community by A.J. Foscoli, the economic development director for Dallas and a seasoned veteran of previous Innovate...
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Dallas Make-a-thon Video!
Andrew Schafer, Ben Eastlund and Logan Kumnick are three autodidacts with a passion for videography. As 8th graders at LaCreole, they took on opportunities to highlight activities at school throughout the year and LaCreole was able to provide tools and an audience for...
read moreInnovate Oregon Initiatives
Working together to create tomorrow
Who
Educators, students, businesses, government and community leaders
What
We are working together to create an inclusive innovation-based economy
Why
We are committed to creating new opportunities for our communities
Partners
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Local changes can have global impacts
To receive updates or to learn more about how you can get involved with creating Dallas’s future, please provide us with your contact information below.