Overview

This project focuses on student exploration of sustainability and mental health, ultimately growing and evolving into a community mindset promoting sustainability. 

Project Initiation

Our goal was to create an authentic experience for students to connect the topics of sustainability and mental health. Students read the digital marketing book, "Building a Story Brand," as suggested by our client, Solutions for Change. SFC uses the hero's journey to connect with their audience in their campaign to end family homelessness in San Diego. Students researched the Solutions for Change website to see these tools in action before creating their own social media posts to promote the client.

Project Exploration and Development

After engaging with our client through social media, students learned more about how Solutions for Change uses sustainability practices on their aquaponics farm while promoting job skills for their families. Solutions for Change supports their families and promotes job skills and community engagement through selling organic produce that is grown on the aquaponics farm. Students took a deep dive into data and scientific articles to investigate four food sustainability issues (pollinator decline, diet choices, food waste, and water waste) before selecting the issue they wanted to attempt to solve. Students developed an innovative solution for their problem that would create equity of access to food sustainability choices for their specific audience (kids, adults, or families) in San Diego.  Through iterative design thinking, students created a 3D sustainability device using the process, software, and 3D printers used by engineers. Finally, students created a Sustainability Superhero trading card to creatively demonstrate how sustainability solutions naturally promote good mental health practices as demonstrated by Solutions for Change. Their goal was to use these as an engaging teaching tool to share their learning.

Project Revision and Exhibition

While our client was unable to participate in our originally planned revision cycles due to issues caused by the pandemic, students still received feedback during every stage of the production process. In addition to receiving feedback and revising all three project products multiple times throughout the year from all of their interdisciplinary teachers, students engaged in peer revision cycles. Students also participated in individual mid-year interviews to reflect on their critical and innovative thinking skills in their project work, while setting goals for their coursework, grades, and post-secondary life. Students will have a defense of learning presentation at the end of the year to reflect on their growth and revisit their learning outcomes and college and career plans. 

Teachers and Subjects

Sarah Murray - English
Jena Workman - Biology
Brendan Walsh - Media
Peri Kost - English