We thought it was nice for students to work in two spaces, GRCC and CTC. The two spaces were actually helpful because one area seemed more explatory while the other seemed more of a workspace to plan their presentation.

We appreciated all the people who gave the students feedback and took the time to support our groups. It was great that they were able to hear things from various people throughout the week.

Sticky Notes

Chart Paper

Day 1 was a soft rollout, providing a nice way to ease into the week and help our students begin to understand the engineering and manufacturing industries.

What surprised you?

We were impressed by the insightful questions our students asked the industry experts. Additionally, during lunch out, the students did a fantastic job of ordering and maintaining a respectful presence; they were excellent representatives for their schools and Future Prep'd.

What would you do differenlty?

While Day 1 went well, if we had more time, we would have included more team-building or get-to-know-you activities.

Mr. Golden shared with the students how proud he was of their growth over the course of the week and then left them with this quote, "You have to walk through the hallways of failure before you can walk through the doors of success."

Tyler: When do we get done?

Ms. Dina: Friday. It's only a week.

Tyler: (Audible sigh of disappointment). I wish it were longer.

During the incubation stage, students tapped into their creativity by brainstorming numerous solutions to our Driving Question.

What surprised you?

We were impressed by the students' communication, mutual respect, and thoughtful peer feedback. Their group presentations were particularly strong.

What would you do differently?

In the future, we will dedicate more time for feedback and questions regarding each group's solution.

Computer

Slideshow (for presentation and making visuals/ posters)

Video (camera or phone)

"Watching these students step entirely out of their comfort zones was incredibly rewarding. In just one week, they went from shouting out loose, chaotic ideas to standing proudly in front of a professional panel, confidently pitching a unified solution they built from scratch." - Jason

Interviewee (Mr. Ouendag and Mr. Golden)

Chart Paper

Sticky Notes

Students were highly engaged and appeared to enjoy the tour of the GRCC Manufacturing Lab with our ambassador, Golden.

What surprised you?

We were surprised by how quickly the students warmed up to each other, especially given the size of our group compared to other Future Prep’d cohorts. This made communication and collaboration much easier.

What would you do differently?

We feel fortunate to partner with CTC Engineering and Manufacturing Group 1. Given the success of our collaboration, there is not much we would change.

Wow, just wow! We are so proud of the students who came out of their shells to present, even if it was a practice run.

What surprised you?

We were surprised at how well they took the feedback and were able to make changes accordingly.

What would you differently next time?

We ran out of time but would have students watch the example presentation to help them understand their task when presenting.

Stick Notes

Chart Paper

Computer (to see examples of posters and videos)

During the investigation stage, checking in will focus on real-time guidance as students explore the GRCC Manufacturing Lab and interview industry professionals. I will actively monitor group dynamics and engagement using targeted questioning and protocols like the silent "Big Paper" activity. Afterward, we will transition to a debrief phase, gathering the teams to review their "Need to Knows" list and address any remaining information gaps before brainstorming begins. To capture every individual student's voice, we will implement an end-of-day Name Tent Reflection routine, where students write brief, honest responses to a daily prompt on their personal name tents, providing immediate feedback from both vocal and quieter students to help shape the next day's coaching.

Dina Price : : Math Interventionist @ Macatawa Bay Middle School (West Ottawa)

Kevin & Colleen are also teachers who are leading another group of students enrolled in Engineering & Manufacuring Technology. We plan on working together in various activities throughout Camp Week.

Youtube videos for inspiration to create our own videos.

Design programs like Canva or Slides to create posters and videos.

Notecards for presenting.

The initial categorization and refinement process went smoothly. Students successfully sorted their massive pool of ideas to identify overarching patterns, narrowed them down to their top three concepts, and used chart paper to mind-map and map out their final product.

What surprised you?

The students showed impressive critical thinking and collaboration when transitioning from loose brainstorming to a structured final solution. They were able to effectively consolidate their mind maps into a single, cohesive "Safety Media Program" core solution that they successfully presented to the entire team.

What would you do differently next time?

While the mind-mapping on chart paper was highly effective, next time it would be beneficial to build in more structured, rapid-fire peer feedback loops between the mind-mapping phase and the final selection. This would give students more external input before they lock in the final solution to present to the team.

Photo 2: CTC Engineering & Manufacturing x JR Automation

I helped my group.

I am glad I grew in my ability to be more confident.

I am glad I went through it.

Proud of my teamwork.

Better communication.

: : Accountability

: : Problem-solving

: : Innovation

During their presentation, they were able to answer questions that the judging panel had for further clarification.

Industry Tours : : Disher Design & JR Automation

: : Collaboration

: : Critical Thinking

After analyzing our Driving Question, students identified two core themes: safety and machine. We also dissected the Driving Question to clarify key terms and objectives.

• How would your Dad design it? Your Mom?

• What if you could only use paper in the solution?

• How would an elementary student design it? How would a high school student design it?

• Students and Teachers

• Parents and Family Members

• Machine Operators

• CEOs, Business Administrators, and Executives

• Community Members

"Disher was a very cool experience." EC

"I saw a secret pipe machine." ZG

"I saw machines and secret pipes." JW

"I had fun learning about machines." WV