A group gets down to work in Reed-Gumenick Library.
The entire 8th Grade class gathers in Reeves Center before they begin designing their prototypes.
Students load up on craft supplies.
Students use recycled materials to bring their creations to life.
Head of School Steve Hickman checks in with one team.
A team explains its idea to the class.
A group shows off its model of Monroe Park.

1/7

8th Graders Put Ideas into Practice

10/19/2016

After spending a day canvassing the City of Richmond to better understand its challenges and issues, all 130 Collegiate School 8th Graders gathered in Reeves Center this afternoon to learn another step in the process required to create viable solutions.

The entire grade has been tasked with collaborating on creative answers, as a culmination to their weeklong 8th Grade capstone project, called Envision Richmond.

In its 4th year, Envision Richmond seeks to foster collaboration, empathy, creativity and problem-solving techniques within students so that they are better equipped to improve the world around them.

Students’ ideas and suggestions have been capitalized on by several nonprofits, leading to the following successes: contributing to plans for the BridgePark across Manchester Bridge, a new after school program for students at Oak Grove-Bellemeade Elementary School in partnership with the YMCA, new bus shelters and stops for GRTC and a campaign to recruit new foster care families for older children.

This year, the students have visited 20 local nonprofits to learn about their needs. Today, they implemented the first stages of the design thinking process by working in small groups to brainstorm how best to represent their concept in a tangible way. Then, using recycled materials, paint, glue and lots of imagination, the 8th Grade teams spread out in Reeves Center and Reed-Gumenick Library to create prototypes of their ideas.

Two hours later, they reconvened and each team shared its promising results. One group presented a model of a revamped Monroe Park complete with solar lights and lanterns to address safety concerns. Another team demonstrated their idea for an app to read body temperatures for those who suffer from sickle cell disease. Still another group showed off their colorful “soft box” which included a pillow, blanket and board game to make a long-term hospital stay more comfortable for children. All of these potential solutions were borne from the students’ visits and candid conversations with leaders and patrons of the nonprofits they toured.

After meeting with professional marketing and branding experts on Thursday, the 8th Graders will present their recommendations and ideas for improvements to leaders of the 20 nonprofits on Friday morning.

Back