Leslie: I have been thoroughly impressed with the wisdom, maturity, creativity, and exploration of this group of students. I felt that each student took camp week very seriously when considering how to meet the needs of their driving question from Wendy. I was impressed by the fluidity of how well students worked together. Additionally, I think each student allowed their individual strengths to shine. I always love to witness the growth students have in their confidence over the week and how much work they are able to complete within a weeks time!

Logan: These students have rose to the challenge of addressing a genuine need at GMB. In the future, I would like to incorporate even more opportunities to generate ideas and push the boundaries of existing solutions. Sustained inquiry is challenging but incredibly worthwhile. Students were highly engaged, hard working, creative, and professional. The feedback we received might make me consider utilizing new protocols, continuing to give students real-life connections, and opportunities to put their own spin on what they learn.

Large note paper, markers, pens, computers

Leslie: Students did an amazing job working together

Students did a great job making sure each other were involved.

Logan: entry event was good!

What surprised you?

Leslie: I was surprised to see what students stepped into natural roles.

Reagan is a natural leader.

Liv stepped into the recorder role

Brady naturally was interested in doing research (like finding deals for grocery shopping and snacks

Saveah, Grayson, and Tyson have been more quiet but have valuable information when asked questions.

Logan: The depth of questions students asked Wendy and Nick.

What would you do differently?

Leslie: No. Today has been an amazing first day!

Logan: Double check address.

Wendy: Wow! They did an amazing job! I am so impressed by the work they did and how the presented it to everyone!

Nick: The dome ceiling and the round room was very interesting! You don't see that in many locations.

Hailey: Wow! These questions are impressive! You guys have been so thoughtful!

Elise: I love this stakeholder map and will need to take a photo of it!

Chloe: Said that they have created a space where everyone could learn!

Liv: It was really fun and I especially like knowing some people and making new friends. The people were hysterical! It was tiring but it was so worth it!

Reagan: I would definitely do this again. It causes stress but helps you prepare for jobs! I made some new friends. It helped with anxiety because you get learn how to be a leader and overcome fears.

Saveah: We got to do team building and have lunch together. We got to learn how to work with different business people. I enjoyed the experience!

Brady: I enjoyed it at GMB! It was a lot of fun collaborating with my peers. Getting to see how others experience learning and to help others. Loved the creative elements of this company and sad to leave! Downside, I didn't get to stay up as late as I wanted to during the summer. I am glad that I did this opportunity and would do it again!

Tyson: It was adventurous and interesting. I found it interesting because of the places that we went. I learned to think outside of the box more. I took notes to help me stay organize and help problem solve. I would do it again! I enjoyed the people I met and getting to have fun lunches and snacks. I enjoyed getting to work at GMB.

Grayson: It was a good learning experiences be because we had so many different ideas and had to come together to collaborate. It feels nice being heard by professionals and thinking about the needs of future students. I would do it again and would highly recommend it! It was a cool experience to see the inside of a business and great job experience!

Leslie: Students did a great job combining ideas, communicating, and delegating tasks.

Logan: The poster session was excellent.

What surprised you?

Leslie: I was surprised by the leadership Reagan and Liv had to delegate tasks and how willing their peers were to do the task. I also loved seeing how smoothly conversations flowed as they worked on building their final pitch.

Logan: The ease of making compromises between many different designs.

What would you do differently?

Leslie: NA.

Logan: NA.

Logan: "You all have impressed me with your ability to compromise and take the best parts of everyone's ideas."

"There's a time to be serious and a time to be goofy. When you know the difference is when this will be great."

"My favorite part of today was seeing the professionalism with which you interviewed the GMB staff members."

Leslie: “I have loved watching each student grow in their confidence over the week!”

“Students have approached this driving question with a maturity beyond their years. They have been thoughtful, inclusive, creative, and truly have created a space many would love to be in!”

“I am proud of how well students worked together. They were respectful in their comments. They were able to use ideas from everyone, so no one was left out. I am truly impressed!”

Large note pad, sticky notes, markers.

Supplies provided by the tech center

Leslie: Student communication both speaking and listening was excellent today!

Logan: The amount of questions students generated was striking and impressive.

What surprised you?

Leslie: I was surprised by the maturity of the questions students created for their interview.

Logan: The amount of stakeholders that are effected by our driving question.

What would you do differently?

Leslie: Nothing. Today went very smoothly.

Logan: More efficient method to saturate the questions. Like grouping and combining them quicker.

Leslie: Creating a consistent routine with start and end of day reflections was important for students to keep what we are doing and why on their mind.

Logan: The routines that we established to start and end each day created meaningful opportunities that built community and understanding on our team.

What surprised you?

Leslie: I was surprised by how honest and vulnerable students were with the information they shared in their reflections.

Logan: The thoughtfulness of each student's answers, even at the end of some busy days was impressive to me.

What would you differently next time?

Leslie: Prepare questions ahead of time instead of daily.

Logan: Next time, I might add more informal check in procedures.

Note books, all posters from the week, computers, pens

Computer, notebook, pencil

Leslie: Students made major improvements with each pitch and took all feedback seriously to improve.

Logan: Students compromised well, worked diligently, and ended with a high quality professional presentation.

What surprised you?

Leslie: I was surprised by how well students were able to grow in their confidence presenting in such a short period of time.

Logan: I was surprised in what the students chose to include in their end product. They had so many well thought out details.

What would you do differently next time?

Leslie: I would make sure that we have someone for the end of day pitch. I am grateful Chloe, the Director of Marketing, was able to sit in and give feedback!

Logan: Next time, I would like to provide more dedicated roles for every student 100% of the time.

100 things in common in 10 minutes

Hopes/Fears/Norms

Leslie: Students did a great job running through a practice presentation prior to their final presentation. They made minor adjustments that showed in their final pitch.

Logan: Students delivered an amazing and engaging presentation. I am so proud of them for their professionalism and the compromises they made in their pitch to create a stellar final product.

What surprised you?

Leslie: I was surprised by how comfortable students ended up being during their pitch. I think all of the practicing paid off for a fantastic end result.

Logan: I was surprised at how passionate and well articulated the answers to the questions were.

What would you do differently next time?

Leslie: Make sure students understand ques I may give them from the back of the room to encourage them during their presentation. There was a moment one student got confused and slightly off track.

Logan: I would facilitate more opportunities for students to self-evaluate their work and make adjustments. The morning of the final pitch and be anxiety-inducing, and increased ownership may have mitigated that.

Students worked well with one another to overcome challenging questions while designing their space.

Additionally, they had three different opportunities to practice their pitch and receive feedback from Mike, Denise, Emma, Laura, other teams, and Chloe. Students took this feedback very seriously, made adjustments to their presentation and presenting techniques, and with each opportunity to practice these changes; they grew tremendously within a short period of time.

Saveah: Changing the slideshow to add photos and the driving question more frequently. Speak with enthusiasm.

Liv: Narrow down the costs that Saveah reads and to divide up the stats.

Reagan: Talked about adding visuals and additional slides for engagement.

Brady: Organize the speakers better.

Tyson: Practice wording and organize slides and better transitions.

Grayson: Talk louder.

One worked was reading the interview questions after the presentations.

Hayley said that the presentation was awesome!

An individual from the OAISD remarked that the students did excellent and had a fascinating pitch!

Time: 9AM

Students take photos that represent:

Engaged Learning

Identity & Purpose

Emotional Wellbeing

Belonging & Relationships

Safety & Security

Health & Comfort

Learning Environment

Reward: $10 for each criteria being represent with rational towards weekly snacks ($70 max)

Project Description (Student Generated): The serenity room is designed for students, by students. It promotes feelings of security, emotional wellbeing, and health. Learning will usually happen in this room. It's circular, because the National Library of Medicine says they can induce positive feelings compared to rectangular rooms. It features fake and real plants, lots of comfy seating, and is designed to be a universal space that allows people to use it for many different purposes. We also gave it lots of windows for natural light, to promote student success. We've got fairy lights to give it a homey vibe as well. We've got a simplistic calm blue mural on the wall, with grass textured carpet for sensory and branches adorned with fairy lights to add a blanket natural elements. We've also made sure to add psychologically pleasing blue accents. We hope this room would give students the opportunity to learn in a peaceful environment.

Liv talked about how Grayson's explanation helped her understand what his drawing meant and that she liked the use of individual conference style rooms.

Reagan and many other students mentioned that Brady's design seemed to be the most feasible.

Students have shown an understanding to the driving question by designing a school space that incorporates the success criteria provided by GMB. Additionally, students have been mindful about making this an inclusive space that everyone can benefit from.

Reagan: Advocated for individuals with sensory issues and special needs. She also found research that supports why elements like having a fish in the space is helpful for individuals with autism.

Liv: Made sure the space had a calming atmosphere by stressing the importance of color.

Saveah: Listened to the experts and did the research on the cost of items in the space and the potential cost of the overall space if it were a new build.

Brady: Digitally rendered the space and took input from his peers to visually depict everyone's ideas as clearly as possible.

Tyson: Can talk about the process from day to day and clearly communicate why the different protocols were beneficial to help all students arrive at their end result.

Grayson: Made sure there was as much natural light as possible.

We then had two small groups for small discussions and after that we shared as a whole group setting about what they learned about themselves and their peers.

Mr. Lockhart held a discussion what went well and what could have been different when creating this list.

Brady said they could have been more specific.

Saveah said they all could have been writing.

Liv said they could have not just named stuff.

Tyson said he felt everyone participated.

Participation is key! ~Mr. Lockhart

Liv was the recorder.

How do you see the room being used?

Brady: a room to unwind and relax.

Liv: Fun for clubs to use after school for studying.

Reagan: I could see this space used similar to a concelors office or as a break space.

I wonder why square or circle?

Reagan: I think it is because of the sharp corners.

How do we measure/feel success?

Reagan: If the students felt safe and secure.

Brady: Able to connect with others.

Liv: If you have students with low grades and teacher notices those grades improve. Not just for students that have mental problems. For the entire school.

During the stages slide: talk more about the interview questions and the answers you received. Give more details about specific experiences.

12-15 minute presentation is ideal with 5 minutes for questions (20 min total).

Brady: Library we observed learning targets.

What other ideas did you have that didn't work out?

Liv: we had ideas and voted for final ideas.

Brady pointed out the rule of thirds wall and thought we were all on the same page and realized we were not and were able to narrow it down with a vote to move forward. Talked about adjustments to the rule of thirds that no longer fit with the end result. He showed the mock ups, how they collaborated, and finalized the final designs.

Mr. Lockhart: likes the driving question at the beginning. Wonders if it can be brought it up again throughout the presentation. GMB does 3D renderings so we did as well.

Mike: More detail on the process and execution.

Reagan talked about how the food and nutrition section of the library encouraged health and comfort.

Liv stated that the psychology section allowed people to learn more about their mental health in order to learn about and support themselves.

Grayson said the lower level rooms allowed for a quiet learning environment.

Brady noticed that the library help a scavenger hunt for younger children and related that to Engaged learning.

Tyson observed that there were many locations in the library that promoted belonging.

Saveah discussed the use of the conference rooms to relate to safety and security.

Many of the spaces are customizable with movable walls.

The hallway is a “learning spine”

Zoom rooms: remove with 200 employees

Pod area has QR codes to sign in and work with one another

Wendy and Nick did a presentation to share more about GMB with our group of students.

One thing they do is help "update brands" or working with schools they help with fundraising and meeting the needs of their clients.

The largest portion of their work is in K-12, like designing learning spaces for outdoor play and learning, early childhood centers, sports areas, she even showed examples of some of the work they have done at Herrick library.

Students noticed immediately that the seating in the commons area is the same seating that was available at the library.

Nick discussed about what employees do in the office. He showed images of renderings creating be the architects.

He also discussed landscape architecture and showed renderings of those spaces.

Nick also discussed the role the interior designers play in their business.

He continued to show the many roles of the different engineers on staff.

We learned that Wendy is a Civil Engineer. She talked to students about her role and how a big part of her job is understanding water systems, weather systems, hypotheticals for storms and the designing around these elements. She also discussed the importance in keeping wetlands safe and protected.

Liv inquired where Wendy formerly taught. Wendy said she taught at Calvin University, Jenison High School Physics.

Reagan asked how they choose color schemes to help regulate emotions in an elementary classroom. Wendy discussed that is not her role but did talk about standard colors that the district has when they work with those partners. Nick discussed that some individuals do research on the psychology of color.

Liv asked what do they do when they don't have a task at hand? Wendy shared that they have endless work and opportunities.

Brady asked if they work with contractors? Wendy talked about having contractors and relying on those individuals for their expertise.

Grayson asked what kind of education do you need to get a job as an architect? Wendy said that usually you go do school for 6 years and get a Master's degree. Engineers can finish in a 4 year program. Additionally, they hire independent workers that specialize in Interior Design or other fields.

Tyson asked if GMB will expand across the country. Wendy said they are always looking to grow.

Nick said GMB has been narrowing their work to education spaces over the last few years.

Students were asked to independently to write down their initial thoughts on what kind of a space came to mind to design.

Reagan talked about being inclusive with the elements so all people can feel comforatable.

Liv talked about designing a conference.

Students were then asked to work as a group to narrow down a specific space they would like to design.

Additionally, students shared out with the group so they could all be heard.

Brady: What is a difficult school design to execute?

Elise: They do a lot of renovations and additions. These can be more of a challenge than starting from nothing.

What are your thoughts on student commons with nature elements

Alex: He loves the connection to nature and wanted to know the students idea of what this is day to day. He has heard these are good elements in the classroom but has limited experience.

Hailey: The difficult part is the maintenance of those elements

Reagan: What colors are used to help students.

Elise: Often there is a set pallet for the school. These can be great but she also understands that softer colors may be better than bright colors for students.

Alex: Tries to use nature to aid in color choices.

Brady: Have you ever failed to meet the needs of a client before?

Elise: Yes, there is a lot of trust that goes into the client relationship. How all stakeholders are impacted. Additionally, meeting regulations. A lot of her day is drawing designs but also building relationships.

Alex: He said that listening to the client and meeting their needs it the priority vs adding his personal ideas as the standard.

Hailey: "At the end of the day, the client will be in the space and that is most important?"

Liv: What kind of budget do you get?

Alex: Often they look at the cost per square foot and navigating inflation or the special needs of a space. He described a lite reno (painting, finishes, lighting) could be $200-$300 per square foot. A new construction could be $350-$500 per square foot.

Liv: What are some annoying regulations you have to follow?

Elise: Fire codes. These are very important but they can impede the design. They have to consider how people get out of a space while also having an aesthetic design.

Alex: Plumbing fixtures. The amount that are required for certain facilities.

Elise: Energy codes also change the designs.

Haley: Allowing teachers to have flexibility with the lighting is important.

Saveah: Do you use themes in the rooms to balance fun in education?

Alex: More and more now, having themes or unique spaces within media centers (extended learning areas) tend to have more unique elements. Can we create an experience that is specific to individual, small group, to whole class education needs.

Grayson: How do you design a blueprint to ensure structural integrity?

Elise: Architects work closely with structural engineers to plan and execute the design.

Hailey: Columns are inevitable, how can you work with the structure within your design so it flows instead of stands out.

Grayson: What is the best noises/Music for studying students?

Elise: No an expert but personally enjoys no music or no lyrics and a low tone.

Alex: mentioned there is white noise that is there from the systems that run the building and those things need to be considered when designing. Can supplement with speakers for the teacher to use.

Grayson: Would a sound proof wall help to reduce noise?

Alex: Sound proof is a dangerous room. A band room may have a buffer wall between the band room and other classes. Glass doesn't prevent a lot of sound but allows for connection within and outside of the space.

Saveah: Do you prefer to use natural or artificial lighting in schools.

Hailey: Natural but they do have to consider visual needs of students.

Alex: Using glass walls helps with light spilling into other spaces.

Liv: What groups of specialist do you collab with to complete a design.

Elise: The internal team at GMB and outside contractors that are experts in the field.

Hailey: Depending on the school district, they rely on community engagement to aid in their designs. Civil, landscape, and engineers aid in these decisions.

Tyson: How long does a project take and how many hours does it take?

Elise: A new construction/elementary, a year to design and a year and a half to build. If it is a reno project, they try to work on a building while staff and students are not in it. Often it may take a summer and done in a fast pace.

Tyson: Have you ever had a project that was too hard and you had to cancel?

Alex: We don't give up but we have had projects that present problems that were not foreseen and have to work through solutions. A client may choose to walk away but they do their best to meet the needs of the client.

Elise: Relying on professional teammates that know more is important to rely on in these situations.

Haley: Each project is a learning opportunity.

Tyson: What project has been the most successful.

Alex: Not one in particular but those spaces that meet the needs of the client.

Reagan: Have you worked with a school that had a therapy animal and needed to design a separate space for the animal?

All: no

Question 2: In exactly one word, how would you describe the problem we are trying to solve based on what you observed yesterday? (Be ready to explain why!)

Additionally, students shared out with the group so they could all be heard.

Tyson was surprised that they never give up.

Grayson was surprised on how much glass is used in new designs.

Brady was surprised that renos were the hardest part.

Liv agreed with Brady. She thought new construction would be more difficult.

Saveah was surprised that they said the themes are becoming more popular. She thought it would be the other way around.

Don't read off of the screen. A 3X5 card is professional to reference notes.

When presenting, step forward, to communicate. Audience will look at that individual.

Use transitions, step back and introduce next person, allow next person to step forward, last person steps aside and swaps places with speaker.

Project your voice, so the person in the back of the room can hear you. SPEAK SLOWLY. Pause as needed.

Be mindful of managing nervous twitches. Decide how everyone will stand. Keep it uniform.

Practice, practice, practice

5P's: Proper, preparation, prevents, poor, performance.

Question 2: Good investigators are always willing to change their minds when presented with new evidence. What is one thing you believed to be true before yesterday that your investigation completely proved wrong or complicated? 

Many students complimented Liv's drawing and said that it was inviting and made them feel like they were in the space.

Others pointed out that Reagan's drawing was very unique and they have never seen a space like that in a school.

After the gallery walk students moved into the NUF protocol.

Additionally, students shared out with the group so they could all be heard.

Additionally, students shared out with the group so they could all be heard.

Liv and Brady are working on final rendering.

Reagan is working on research on stats and facts to defend why elements are beneficial for student success.

Saveah is looking at cost analysis for their design.

Grayson is working on setting up the slideshow.

Tyson is working on scripting out the process of our camp week.

Question 2: By the end of the day yesterday, tasks were delegated so everyone could work. In your own words, what is your specific 'mission' today, and how does your piece of the puzzle directly impact the success of the final pitch?

Reagan: Slide after process should be photos of our work

Brady: I like both of these ideas but I think photos in a powerpoint would be more effective.

Liv: My one reservation is that the photos are unclear.

Reagan: We could add images and point to things in the room as well.

Brady: What if we take the best progress papers to have on display, stakeholder map but not the empathy maps. DQ paper not necessary.

Liv: Should we take the interview question paper or add it to the slides?

Students continued with this conversation to finalize their pitch.

Denise, Emma, and Laura commented on how well their presentation was and also had several follow up quesions like:

How is the room going to be managed?

Clarification on pricing and budget?

What/Who is GMB?

Who are Alex, Hailey, and Elise?

Chloe was impressed with the professionalism of the team, the thoughtfulness of the research and the overall presentation.

Chloe gave the students a couple questions at the end to further developing their research and understanding and also connected what the students have done to what is currently being done at GMB.

Question 2: A judging panel of 40 gives you a broad range of general reactions, while a Director of Marketing looks at your pitch through a business magnifying glass. What was the most eye-opening difference between the feedback you got from the large crowd versus the single expert? 

2. You had to transition from your own individual renderings to a shared team vision. What did you learn about your own strengths as a teammate this week, and how did your group successfully navigate a moment of disagreement or friction? 

3. This week, your project went through a grueling gauntlet of feedback from peers, a 40-person panel, and a Director of Marketing. How has your definition of 'failure' or 'criticism' changed after seeing how much better your project became through iteration? 

4. This is a future prep program. If you were sitting in a job interview tomorrow and the interviewer asked, 'Tell me about a time you solved a complex problem under a deadline,' how would you describe your role in this week's project? 

5. If you had to pick one specific moment from this entire week where you felt the most proud of yourself or your team, what was it and why does that moment stick out?