District 212 students at Verizon regional competition

Seven West Leyden students and nine students from East Leyden qualified for the Verizon Innovative Learning and Design Thinking, Chicago Regional Pitch Competition on Saturday, May 12th at Carl Schurz High School in Chicago.

The West Leyden team of Julian Balboa, Jeremy Bui, Kimberly Celis and Kiara Valenzuela won first place in the pitch competition, and also were voted” crowd favorite” by Verizon corporate judges.

The Verizon Innovative Learning Design Thinking Program supplies digital tools and hands-on learning opportunities to schools and communities across the country. Through the program, Arizona State University Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the Verizon Foundation train high school educators to teach design thinking, innovation, entrepreneurship and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) skills by working with local businesses to solve real-world challenges through the use of emerging technologies.

Leyden high schools were among the 30 high schools chosen to participate in the program. At the start of the second semester, 125 students from West Leyden and 50 students from the East campus used the design thinking process and promising technology to create a solution for their business partners.

Leyden business teachers Michael Haworth, Lauren Martire, Shannon O’Connor and Tony Pecucci embedded the design program into their curriculum. They worked with their students, translating theory into practice using the information they acquired during their training. In addition, they developed partnerships with local organizations and small businesses. The four community partners that worked with Leyden students are G4G Fitness, Lake Book Manufacturing, Leyden Township Parks and Recreation and Stenograph, LLC.

The classroom experience helped students gain entrepreneurship, creative problem solving and STEM skills as they prototype, initiate, test and refine solutions, says Michael Haworth, business teacher at the West campus. “This project provided students with authentic and relevant learning. In addition, they favorably impressed the four community partners that worked directly with them,” he adds.

At the end of the school year students share their innovative solutions at an event that features a fair and pitch competition. It was at the Chicago contest that Leyden students captured first place and the crowd favorite designation.

West Leyden’s win and recognition was “no small feat” says Tony Pecucci, teacher and business department chair. “There were several talented groups from across the Chicagoland area competing at the regional contest. We are especially proud given this is our first year participating in the program, whereas other schools have been participating for two or three years,” he says.

West Leyden team of Julian Balboa, Jeremy Bui, Kimberly Celis and Kiara Valenzuela won first place in the pitch competition, and also were voted "crowd favorite” by Verizon corporate judges. Pictured from left to right: Kimberly Celis, Julian Balboa, Jeremy Bui, and Kiara Valenzuela.