Max and his team built a design thinking workshop to introduce high school students in the University of Cincinnati’s Upward Bound program to creative problem-solving.

The team began by interviewing education majors and local teachers to better understand how to make design thinking accessible for younger learners. They then prototyped an early version at St. Xavier High School, gathering feedback on pacing, engagement, and clarity before refining the final experience.

In the workshop, students practiced core design thinking skills through activities like “Yes, and…,” robot drawings with constraints, and a “good vs. bad brainstorming” exercise framed around planning a party. These activities gave students a fun and approachable entry point into collaboration, iteration, and divergent thinking.

The final session ended with reflection and Q&A, where students shared takeaways and connected design thinking back to their own lives. The students reported learning something new and valuable.