Multiple districts — Faced with perplexing problems, local companies are engaging with high school juniors and seniors to generate real solutions.
This summer, the FutureSolve 26 internship program brought together 30 students from Byron Center, East Grand Rapids, Forest Hills, Grandville, Kelloggsville and Kentwood public schools to work alongside Steelcase, BAMF Health and Blox, a division of Newco Design Build. The mission was to design innovative solutions to problems posed by each company.
Over the course of six weeks, students spent four mornings a week at Ferris State’s Kendall College of Art and Design, listening to guest speakers, working in classrooms and using design-thinking principles to solve problems. Students also traveled to each of the three companies to learn more and hear from employees about the work they do every day.
“Having FutureSolve students on site each summer is incredibly meaningful to our team,” said Andy McLean, manager of CEO relations with BAMF Health. “Last year, the students recommended programming that we immediately implemented and that we plan to continue into the future.”
‘Younger students offer new perspectives to old problems.’
— Forest Hills Northern rising junior Japnoor Kaur Guijar
During one of their meetings at KCAD, rising East Grand Rapids High School senior Carly Conway sat with her open laptop around a table with her team of peers, brainstorming ideas for BAMF Health to find ways to capitalize on their high patient satisfaction rates.
“We’re focusing on creating an engagement station for patients of BAMF Health for when they’re getting a scan or waiting for a scan,” she said. “We want to help create a space where (patients) can engage with the brand more and have a good time even while they’re waiting for a scan.”
Carly explained how she and her teammates dove into researching the company’s stakeholders, budget and office space to help make the design relevant and useful.
“You have to take in every single factor, like taking into consideration how patients are radioactive after getting a scan, so the space has to be easily cleaned after a patient visits,” she said.
Solving Problems through Collaborative Design
In the fourth week of the program, each team met with their assigned company to present their ideas and solutions, get feedback and then go back to their drawing boards. Each group will share their final presentations today, July 16, at KCAD.
“Here in West Michigan, we have an extraordinary opportunity to connect students to industries and organizations that are shaping our region, our state and our world,” KCAD professor and Collaborative Design program chair Gayle DeBruyn said. “We’re excited to grow our partnerships and continue to provide experiential learning opportunities that inspire young people to be the collaborators, innovators, and leaders of the future.”
Rising Forest Hills Northern High School junior Japnoor Kaur Guijar said there are plenty of potential benefits when companies collaborate with young people like this.
“When people are focused on a program, it can turn into tunnel vision,” Japnoor said. “Younger students offer new perspectives to old problems.”
Japnoor also said she has enjoyed developing strategies to improve awareness and understanding of BAMF Health’s clinical trial portfolio for providers and patients because the company’s mission aligned with her goals to pursue a medical career.
“Getting out of your comfort zone offers different perspectives and experiences to learn new things and about real-world problems in your community,” Martha said.
Martha Emil, a rising senior from Kelloggsville High School, said her favorite part of the experience has been meeting students from other schools. Together, they worked to formulate a sales pitch for Blox that conveys the long-term economic, durability and aesthetic value of brand name automotive-grade finishes.
Ryan Graham, Kent ISD director of workforce development, called the program an “exciting opportunity for collaboration between higher education and local business,” giving high school students experience with companies in their community and within their fields of interest to make a real impact.
The application process started in January and Kent ISD worked with school counselors to go through applications and select students to participate. All students who complete the program receive three transferable college credits from Ferris State plus a $599 stipend.
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