Back To School Innovation Challenge

Sep 15

*Student Team at Plattsburg High School*

The Challenge:

"How might we empower young people to solve the vaccination need in our community?"

Last Friday, our Education team hosted its first-ever Back To School Innovation Challenge (#B2SChallenge). In this virtual event, 150+ students (from 11 different schools) all over the Kansas City Metropolitan Area were able to work in teams to create unique solutions to the design question.

Winning Pitches

“Life of the Vaccine” (Raymore-Peculiar High School)

Tackling perhaps the most challenging part of getting vaccinated, this team at Ray-Pec presented a way to quell people’s fears. In a Tim-And-Moby-esque approach, this team’s solution is to create animated videos for teens and adults explaining the science of the vaccine, and what happens after receiving the dose(s).

“The Vax Collectors” (Fort-Osage High School)

Keeping their pitch short and sweet, the team at Fort-Osage delved into their novel idea: “The Vax Collectors.” The solution relies on empathy and media - drawing on the personable reasons why some youth are getting vaccinated ,and amplifying that message through social channels. The team broke down their budgetary needs, the specific methods they’d use to create and share their videos, and even completed empathy work by gauging student interest at their school in pursuing this idea.

“COVID-Convos”
(Notre-Dame De Sion High School)

Starting off their pitch with a “COVID-Jingle” and fun energy, this team’s pitch embodies those same down-to-earth elements. Deducing that conversations are the most important aspect in learning, this team’s solution is to create a video series where Kansas & Missouri natives are paired with local celebrities and medical experts to talk openly and honestly about vaccinations.

**Final Pitch Playlist**

Check out the rest of the final pitches from the #B2SChallenge.

Watch Now

The Next Phase

*Student Team at Raymore-Peculiar High School*

Make It Real

The three winning teams were each awarded $500 to continue pursuing their solution. Utilizing what the teams have learned through design-thinking and empathy work, each team will be able to iterate on their idea and make it real within the next few months depending on their project’s requirements.

**Teens Tackle Vaccine Hesitancy**

Check out one of our teams at Raymore-Peculiar High School being featured on KMBC News.

Watch Now

“Because of Startland our students get to do great things!”

— Alyssa Dial, Educator at Plattsburg High School

Thank you to our:

Participating Schools

Blue Springs High School
Blue Springs South High School
Crossroads Preparatory Academy
Fort Osage High School
LEAD Innovation Studio
Lee's Summit High School
Lee's Summit North High School
Notre Dame de Sion
Plattsburg High School
Ray-Pec High School
Van Horn High School

Mentors

Anurag Patel
Allison Berey
Nathan Haas, CSM
Lauren Conaway (she/her/hers)
Kharissa Forte
Jennie Hanna
Joy Broils
Na'im Al-Amin
Cynthia Fails
Matthew Mellor
Rebeka Garcia Cook
Hai Chen
Karnissa Caldwell
Michelle Nebel, Ed.S
Jesús García Fuentes
Nasir Anthony Montalvo
Linda Bailey
Tom Robinson