Wednesday, October 28, 2015
7:30 p.m.
Roberts Theatre, Bucksbaum Center for the Arts (1108 Park St.)
The Spark Tank Innovation Challenge was a brand new addition to the college’s annual celebration of Grinnell Prize winners and their work in social justice. The program encouraged current Grinnell students to think like the next generation of prizewinners by tackling local social justice issues. Professional educators (K-12 teachers, principals, school district staff) in the Grinnell community began the work by identifying the needs and challenges they see in their classrooms – locating specific obstacles to learning that children in Grinnell face. Teams of passionate college students, representing a variety of class years, majors, and experiences, formed to tackle these community-generated challenges. Students collaborated closely with teachers, principals, local organizations, and experts to bring together contextual knowledge of the issue, broad research in the field, and community connections in order to develop practical solutions that are innovative, sustainable, well-thought out, and beneficial to Grinnell’s children and the wider community.
Eight finalists were chosen from 18 original teams. These 8 teams pitched their projects in front of a live audience in an event inspired by the television show Shark Tank. The “sharks,” or judges, of the pitch competition included 2015 Prizewinners Deborah Ahenkorah and Maria Vertkin, along with two well-respected, retired Grinnell-Newburg educators. The judges offered constructive feedback and, taking into account audience excitement and participation, determined which three teams won funding to carry out their projects in the community. At least one winning team received $10,000, with an overall potential total of $22,500 to go toward implementing the students’ vision. With these funds, Spark Tank Innovation Challenge winners will be able to produce meaningful and exciting change in the Grinnell community throughout the rest of the year. Each of the winning teams received a $250 cash prize for themselves—and have seriously flexed their design thinking, pitch throwing, innovative social justice making muscles and proven what undergraduates can do to begin to change the world for the better. And, we hope, become the next generation of Grinnell Prize winners.
Spark Tank Innovation Challenge Winners
Lunchtime Language Learners!
Obstacle
How can we provide students at the local elementary schools with the opportunity to learn a world language?
Project Description
In an effort to offer hands-on foreign language instruction, our solution pairs Grinnell College foreign language speakers with 3rd and 4th grade students during lunchtime to teach and cultivate their interest in learning foreign languages and international cultures.
Innovators
John Gallagher, Christine Hood, and Liz Nelson
Coach
Barb Van Ersvelde
Tiger Allies
Obstacle
How can we hold students accountable for their actions with methods other than the traditional detention and suspension model?
Project Description
In order to stop the "detention-suspension-drop out" pipeline early on, we will pair reformed-skipper upperclassmen with identified at-risk students to act as mentors. At-risk students will receive resources, support, and empowerment from their mentors and administrators to increase their attendance and cut down detentions and suspensions.
Innovator
Jillian Wielgos
Coach
Heidi Durbin
The Grinnell-Newburg High School Student Resource Center (GHS-SRC)
Obstacle
How do we endure that all students, particularly students struggling with poverty, are having their basic needs (food, clothing, shelter) met, so that they can be ready to succeed and learn in the classroom?
Project Description
The Grinnell-Newburg High School Student Resource Center (GHS-SRC) will be an on campus space to provide students that are struggling to have their basic needs met with food, clothing, hygiene products, and information about community resources.
Innovators
Naomi Worob and Lucia Tonachel
Coaches
Melanie Sharp and Jen Vanderleest
Finalists
Bus Leadership Program
Obstacle
How can we make riding the bus a safe and positive experience for all student and reduce the potential for bullying?
Project Description
The Bus Leadership program aims to reduce bullying and promote a safe and positive environment on the school bus by engaging student leaders. The program will create a space for interested students to promote community on the bus and learn about mentorship in the process.
Innovators
Nathan Calvin and Alice Herman
Coach
Heidi Durbin
Growing Strong: Grinnell Elementary Garden
Obstacle
How can we develop opportunities for nature exploration and STEAM concepts in elementary education in Grinnell?
Project Description
In order to increase outdoor experiences for early elementary students, we would design and construct a school garden that students will be able to attend to during school hours. This will encourage students to explore nature and learn about science while having fun and developing responsibility.
Innovators
Julia Anderson, Aditi Munshi, Shamiram Yousef
Coaches
Jan Phifer and Principal Sarah Seney
Focus!
Obstacle
Because we live in an age of distractions, how do we help students develop their focus, attention, and concentration-skills so that they can more effectively complete their tasks?
Project Description
Our solution uses a new, competitive, and fun RescueTime app to quantify distraction and peer supervision program to enforce the usage of the app to physically minimize the distraction. We will also have students research projects tied to their personal passions to help students find intrinsic motivation for learning which ultimately shields them from various sources of distractions.
Innovators
Mitsuki Fujio, He Jinlin, and Zou Tianhao
Coach
Bill Rudolph
ABConnect
Obstacle
How can we better support students who enter kindergarten without strong early literacy skills?
Project Description
Our team believes an after school, teacher assisted program will help students gain stronger literacy skills. ABConnect is intended to help increase student literacy skills through one-on-one tutoring, group sessions, fun activities and a caring community without the stresses of testing or evaluating the kindergarteners constantly.
Innovators
Christian Clark and Simone Downs
Coaches
Lauren Backlin, Brenda Hagedorn, and Brenda Price
BLOOM - Bringing Learning Outside: Opening Minds
Obstacle
How can we develop opportunities for nature exploration and STEAM concepts in elementary education in Grinnell?
Project Description
We will promote community togetherness with our solution to provide better access to natural exploration and STEAM fields for Fairview Elementary School children through a weeklong interactive education program. This project will make use of local resources and assets to enrich the curriculum of elementary education.
Innovators
Jonathan Gilmour and Josh Jensen
Coaches
Jan Phifer and Principal Sarah Seney