Operation Breakthrough's Ignition Lab Breaks Ground with Honeywell and Chief's Travis Kelce

When Operation Breakthrough’s new Ignition Lab opens this fall, the former muffler shop on Troost Avenue will have transformed to a hands-on, practical training center for young people who have progressed out of the early education center’s MakerCity program. The space is “powered by” Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl-winning tight end Travis Kelce and his Eighty-Seven & Running Foundation. Key sponsors were invited to a special groundbreaking ceremony on Monday, May 24, 2021.

The Lab will serve as a safe haven for teens and create a co-working space with resources where students can explore careers in STEM, launch new ventures and gain real-world experiences. Honeywell is proud to be a major sponsor of this space and a main influencer in developing the manufacturing program. 

Honeywell Executive’s Sponsor of the Ignition Lab, Dylan Plemons, Vice President, Integrated Supply Chain said, “This is a great opportunity for us to get in front of students at a critical life juncture. Much of what they are exposed to in mid to late teen years end up shaping who they become as adults. We see the gap in the skilled workforce daily and know the strong opportunities that exist for a very stable and bright career without unsurmountable college debt. The Ignition Lab is a catalyst for change in so many aspects of these students’ lives. We are so proud that Honeywell FM&T is a community partner with this program.”