The premise behind FuturePrep is to bring together a team of students to solve a real problem a local business needs solved. Teachers receive training in the Creative Process and how to be facilitators, allowing the students to drive the instruction.
The middle school program is one week long, with the team learning their Driving Question (problem to be solved) on Monday and giving a formal presentation of their proposed solution to the business on Thursday afternoon. On Friday, all student teams give their final presentation to a panel of judges to show what they have learned over the week as well as their solution to the Driving Question:
How do we communicate the value of a second life battery?
The Creative Process:
1) Introduction and 2) Observation
3) Investigation, 4) Incubation, 5) Solutions and Decision
Students interview Cate Siler and Jennifer Sierra about their family business and the influence of their father, Hana Sybesma:
6) Validation
The Solution: Allow Hank Sybesma to share his ideas on how using second life lithium ion batteries can change the world via a Ted Talk.
Hank Sybesma's Ted Talk trailer:
Check out the article about our week written by Amy Biolchini for the Holland Sentinel here! |