Ramsey High School Design Lab
What We Do
The Ramsey High School Design Lab is an innovative educational initiative that uses design thinking methodology to foster creative and innovative thinking at the high school level. The Design Lab is modeled after the design thinking program at Stanford University’s d. School. The goal of the course is to foster the skills and dispositions associated with complex, creative problem-solving and to promote innovative work cultures that build capacity for economic and social change. The Design Lab partners with companies and social entrepreneurs that are interested in gaining human-centered insights and design solutions through the unique lense of the high school demographic.
For more on the background and development of this program, follow this link.
"The feeling that something I was apart of had a real impact on life outside of school was the highlight of the class, and is what makes this class unlike any other you will take in high school."
- Quote from a recent Design Lab student
Fall 2021 Partnership
The Fall 2021 Design Thinking Students were very fortunate to partner with Polestar USA, an innovative electric car company with offices in Mahwah, NJ. In this challenge, students learned a great deal not only about the electric car industry, but about the buying habits and motivation of consumers. They were tasked with generating insights and solutions to help Polestar identify the next generation of electric car buyers. In a Design Thinking first, the students' "final pitch" was presented in-person and live-streamed to a group of more than 30 Polestar employees around the US and as far away as Finland! Thank you Polestar for this amazing opportunity!!!
RHS Design Lab in the News!
In the Fall of 2018, our Design Lab students partnered with New Jersey State Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi to look at the human centered issues involving the legalization of marijuana. This is a topic currently being debated by New Jersey lawmakers, and our students provided Assemblywoman Schepisi and other lawmakers with insights regarding this hotly debated topic. Below are pictures of our "launch" session with Assemblywoman Schepisi as she addressed the students about the current state of the legislation to legal marijuana in New Jersey and she poses for a picture with the class, teachers, and principal.
On January 23rd, our Design Lab students presented their insights and solutions regarding the Legalization of Recreational Marijuana to Assemblywoman Schepisi and State Senator Ronald Rice during a 90 minute minute forum at Ramsey High School. In addition, read about a student's first-person perspective of being involved in this class and challenge.
UPDATE - March 1st 2019 - Since meeting with our Design Thinking students in January, Assemblywoman Schepisi and Senator Rice have introduced a bi-partisan bill to the NJ Legislature which would put the legalization of recreational marijuana to a ballot question to be voted on directly by NJ citizens. Assemblywoman Schepisi and Senator have credited our Design Thinking students with inspiring them to draft this legislation. It is amazing to see our students having such an impact in their state!
More news coverage related to this partnership:
Thank You, Ramsey Design Team! .movTestamonial from a recent partner, Athlete Ally
The Ramsey Design Team recently teamed up with Athlete Ally in the Spring of 2018. See what Founder and Executive Director Hudson Taylor had to say about the experience.
Partnerships
Partnerships form the backbone of the Design Experience for the students at Ramsey High School. Partnerships may take a wide variety of forms. Past partnerships have included included companies with social, corporate, and educational focuses. From our past experience, there are a few common characteristics that will help to assure a successful partnership.
Partners can provide an authentic, rigorous, and "messy" challenge for the students.
Insights gleaned from the challenge should have relevance and meaning for the high school-aged demographic.
Potential partners should be interested in working with a highly motivated group of high school students.
All Things Media (Mahwah, NJ).... Read about our partnership with All Things Media and the Liberty Science Center.
American Express
NJ State Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi - Read about our partnership in The Record.
New Jersey Department of Education: Office of Health and Physical Education
Homewell Care Services, Hackensack NJ
Ramsey Police Department, Ramsey NJ
Chartwells School Dining Services
What does it take to be a partner?
In a nutshell, a good partnership should benefit both our students and the corporate partner. Our students get to engage in a real-world problem using the design thinking methodology, and the corporate partner gains insights and innovative solution proposals to their challenge. It is a win-win for both sides of the partnership.
What does a partner need to provide?
1. Provide our students with a real challenge facing the company.
2. Work with our student design team over a period of about 10 weeks, including at least 3 meetings. This usually includes two face-to-face meetings at the partner's headquarters, one to present the challenge and one for the student designers to present their findings and insights at the end of the challenge. In addition, a virtual meet-up about halfway through the process is part of the prototyping and feedback process.
3. A contact person at the company able to speak with our teachers to coordinate questions and visitations throughout the process.
4. Be able to fit the partnership's 10 week window within the semester-based course calendar.
5. There are no fees or financial investment needed from the partner.
For more Information about our program or to become a potential partner....
Please contact:
Kenneth Veit, Fine Arts, World Language K-8 Supervisor for the Ramsey Public Schools
(201) 785-2300 x.21574