Capstone Activity
Brainstorm Your Bold Idea
Take time early in the process to get some bold ideas on the table. Don’t miss the opportunity to share your biggest ambitions while everyone is energized and fresh.
If you set aside your preconceptions about what’s possible and what’s not …
If you really listen to what the young people on your team say they want from their high schools …
If you think about what you learned from school closures …
If you imagine putting all the talent and resources of your community to work …
If your goal is a great education for every single student …
What would your ideal high school look like?
Use this poster and sticky notes to get your ideas flowing. If you’re doing this virtually, you can take turns sharing ideas or even use the chat to generate sticky notes. Encourage everyone to contribute. You can add more ideas, or even change your minds completely later on, and that’s okay. Articulating your vision now will help galvanize your team, give you a shared sense of purpose, and attract partners and supporters.
Our Bold Idea
A bold and compelling idea will be at the center of our school.
Step 1 – Brainstorm
Work with your team to complete these sentences. Push yourselves to be ambitious, bold, and original!
Our school will be unique because …
Every student in our school will experience …
Our graduates will stand out because …
Working at our school will be rewarding because …
The community needs our school because …
Step 2 – Summarize
Now generate a lively description of your school concept. Make it short and memorable. That’s your bold idea, your elevator pitch. It will change over time—but you can start testing it right away to see if it resonates with students, families, teachers, community partners, and other supporters.
