Big Idea Project/Capstone

The Capstone class is an interest-based class devised around service learning devised by the Big Idea Project. While it meets the new Colorado graduation requirements, the Big Idea Project’s mission is to develop “a nation of schools who empower students to be their best self and engage in work that makes their families, companies and communities better.” The Big Idea Project is a comprehensive, high school program that focuses on Generous Leadership, which is defined on the BIP website (2019) as “Abundantly giving of yourself so others may be better people who do better work.” Essentially, the Generous Leadership ® paradigm is a way of viewing the world that requires empathy, selflessness and action” (2019). BIP is quick to clarify that Generous Leadership ® is neither a theory nor a particular leadership style but rather a way of changing thinking, character, and perception that results in a making a difference in one’s

community. This class is student-directed but includes ample support from school staff and community members. The professional skills attained in this class include: leadership, empathy, resilience, teamwork, problem solving, project planning, creativity, initiative, video, storytelling, public speaking, and communication. Please check out https://www.bigideaproject.org/ for

more information and samples of student work.

Lessons and links to PPTs.

Big Dates:

Mentor Meet & Greet: 1/23/2020

Mentor Meeting #1: 2/13/2020 (rapport developing and defining the problem)

Mentor Meeting #2: 2/27/2020 (proposal and plan)

Mentor Meeting #3: 3/19/2020 (action and calibration)

Mentor Meeting #4: 4/16/2020 (storytelling)

School Prelims: 4/23/2020 (presentations!)

School Finals: 4/30/2020 (state-qualifying presentations)

Mentor Meeting #5: 5/17/2020 (debrief)