Throughout the course of the year, Guenin introduced my class and me to a mass variety of projects. Some of my personal favourites are shared below. Feel free to browse!
Community Partners Project
During our second quarter of Innovations, our class was privileged to work with an associateof our choice in Fishers. Classmates Andrew Switzer, Andrew Kolb and I chose to work with Lieutenant Mike Johnson of the Fishers Police Department. Our given conflict was "how can a student-driven organisation increase in-school threat awareness and overall security".
Primarily, the issue was based off of the multiple bomb threats Hamilton Southeastern has encountered in the past - predominantly the most recent bomb threat recorded this past September 20th, 2017. In order to combat this problem, my group and I would meet up persistently to uncover a resolution or potential proposal.
Although this is still a developing thesis, our most ideal option we as a group uncovered was to create a "Drill Day" in which the school would play a series of drills including intruder, tornado and fire drills to further prepare students in real-life scenarios. However, the spin-off to this method that is not currently in place is that the school will not be disclosed to the students -- information will only be disclosed to staff, parents and appropriate guardians of the students. Currently, my group and I are waiting on Principal Hoover's feedback to determine whether this can be implemented in future terms in our high school and neighbouring schools of Hamilton County. In the mean time, our group will remain optimistic in the hopes that our proposal is passed.
World Economic Forum of Top 10 Skills
The top 10 skills for 2020 will be:
Complex problem solving
Critical thinking
Creativity
People management
Coordinating with others
Emotional intelligence
Judgment and decision-making
Service orientation
Negotiation
Cognitive flexibility
Two skills derived from this list that I believe I have acquired-- specifically learned in this class are emotional intelligence and creativity.
A few weeks ago a technology team leader, Mark Caswell, of KSM Consulting visited our class and discussed in order to solve advanced problems or conflicts in a peer's life, you must express empathy towards them. Such that thoroughly listen to them as opposed to relating their issues with my own prior experiences similar to it. initially, this change in attitude was difficult but eventually I adapted and it has served to be very beneficial in my life. Therefore, I have mastered the skill of emotional intelligence through reacting with more empathy within my problem solving skills.
Secondly, I am more creative through taking this course. I have persistently attended the Innovations night seminars with our NHS counterpart, I am able to branch ideas off of one constructed thought, increase in questioning anything around me and understanding content more.