The SEARCH Lab is an outreach project to teach middle and high school students about chemistry, light and device design. The long term goal is to create a unique space for middle and high school students from the Akron Public School District to observe and participate in laboratory science. The approach is to present the principles of scientific measurement and instrumentation and then allow the students the freedom to explore and innovate on their own. We have run pilot programs at the National Inventors Hall of Fame STEM school and in our lab.