"SWRL piloted GIMI Impact to 400 high school students and 20 teachers. In all my work, I can say that the only true sustainable competitive advantage is Compassion. Innovation - or complex problem solving - is one of the most efficient mediums I know of to unlock the Compassion-state in all of us. If we want a better world, we need to raise and empower more Compassionate Children & Youth and unlock and enhance their natural ability to be innovative and compassionate."

Grayson Bass

Manager SWIRL

"I’ve really enjoyed giving students the chance to connect our learnings from class to issues that they care about. Seeing students able to articulate the issues they see in the world around them and learn how to make meaningful change to address those issues has been incredibly rewarding. And students have appreciated the chance to learn and apply creative/lateral thinking!"

SWR Teachers

"I enjoy hearing from and working alongside other teachers, both in my school and across the pilot. The design thinking structure is straightforward, and though I didn't use many of the activities as others may have, I can see their benefit for teachers/students who are working through this structure for the first time or if their curriculum doesn't lend itself immediately to DT structure. Students connected well with the empathetic approach and worked to develop that lens throughout the project period. I can see that they are building critical understanding towards compassionate action and that they are excited about the potential their projects may create."

SWR Teachers

"The SWRIL Pilot Program has been a unique learning experience as we partnered with curious teachers, supportive administrators and knowledgeable folks at the Innovation Lab. Throughout the process we were given enough guidelines to know what the outlines of the project were intended to be but enough freedom to carve our own way through. This type of programming is for teachers looking to blow the metaphorical walls off their classroom in pursuit of student-led learning that authentically has them work through the inquiry process. The benefits are hard-won, to be sure, but when students are able to take control of their learning then the rewards are great. Students feel ownership of their learning and are intrinsically motivated to do more and to go further in their learning. What teacher could ask for more?!"

SWR Teachers

"My favorite part would be the group aspect. I enjoyed being able to work through all of the steps with a strong group that I had and being able to build off of each other's ideas. I enjoyed the steps that we went through as well it was very helpful and also super organized to be able to sort out my thoughts and build off of them and be able to think present time but future as well. "

Alivia Vanderhout, Student

"The amount of creative freedom we have had, the opportunity to reach out and speak with many people from various communities and being able to broaden my awareness of the needs within a society. "

Sara McBean, Student

"My favorite part of the design thinking project was just getting to be creative. I'm very passionate about sustainable living and being able to have full creativity over a project that connects to one of the SDGs has been so amazing."

Zoe Faulkner, Student