What's happening: Last week, students in RHS's innovative Design Thinking course presented their final pitches to the New Jersey Hall of Fame, offering fresh perspectives on strengthening connections between the prestigious institution and K-12 school districts statewide.
Why it matters: The establishment of a dedicated Design Thinking curriculum at the high school level represents a significant shift in educational approach. While design thinking has long been a cornerstone of professional innovation and corporate problem-solving, its integration into high school education is reshaping how students learn to address complex challenges.
What they’re saying:
"Our partnership with the New Jersey Hall of Fame exemplifies the power of bringing design thinking into high school education," explains Ken Veit, who leads the Design Thinking program. "Students aren't just learning about problem-solving theoretically – they're actively engaging with real organizations and creating solutions that could impact thousands of students across the state."
Go deeper: The course's structure, which pairs students with local businesses and organizations to tackle real-world challenges, prepares students for the modern workplace where collaboration and innovative thinking are necessary. Students learn and apply the process of empathizing, defining, ideating, prototyping, and testing.
