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IDEAS Academy Spring 2018 Design Challenge Program Report

The IDEAS Academy at West Houston Institute provides students with opportunities to develop the mindsets and skillsets used by innovators, designers and entrepreneurs that will help them thrive in a global and exponential 21st century society.

In Spring 2018, Houston Community College's West Houston Institute selected 20 seniors from Alief ISD's Early College High School to launch the inaugural cohort of IDEAS Academy.

We partnered with the Houston Mayor's Office of Innovation to provide students with an authentic design challenge to address over the course of the semester.

"How can we connect Houston's neighborhoods with fresh and healthy food?"

Students began by framing the design challenge to gain a better understanding of how food systems interact with the many elements within communities.

Results of student brainstorming around the design challenge

Through our foundation funding, students were provided with direct experiences...

...to work with modern technologies like hydroponics to explore new possibilities.

This first-hand knowledge connected them to the challenge at both an intellectual and emotional level...

...leading to deeper growth and insight into the ways in which they might address it.

Students were connected with experts from within our federal government...

...to local entrepreneurs to provide them with mentorship and real-world perspectives during their research.

From these activities, students came up with some big ideas–

They formed teams and developed projects that addressed each of the four pillars of food security–

Access

Basil Baddies Groceries connects those in need to local food pantries in ways that promote dignity and convenience through the use of an online platform.

Availability

Solar Express' A-Frame Hydroponics System promotes the development of local community food sources that can be productive in urban environments.

Utilization

"Wakanada Food Do You Like?" uses a playful gamified approach to encourage healthy and nutritious food choices by teenage consumers.

Sustainability

The Foodture Initiative website documents all solutions developed by the IDEAS Academy cohort to sustain their ideas and carry them into the future.

At the end of the semester, the cohort hosted a "Foodture Festival" to share their realized ideas with their peers–

Spring 2018 Facilitators

Jordan Carswell, Program Director IDEAS Academy

Alexandra Almestica, Public Services Librarian

Brian Stephenson, AVID Lead Instructor

Without PBK's generous support, none of this would have been possible. The fund established through the HCC Foundation was critical for providing the material resources used in the learning experience as well as the the resulting student projects. We thank them for helping us create a life-changing opportunity for our students!