School-Based Design Challenges

Design for Change, Right Where You Are

DCN partners with schools to create custom, in-house Design Challenges rooted in local context. These events are built around your curriculum, responsive to your community, and culminate in a public showcase judged by local leaders. School-Based Challenges foster student agency, academic engagement, and pride of place—making real-world learning personal and powerful.

  • Tailored to Local Context

    Each challenge is designed in collaboration with your school to reflect your students, your community, and the real-world issues that matter most locally.

  • Integrated into Curriculum

    School-Based Challenges don’t require extra programs or electives. We help you embed design challenge learning into core subjects and standards.

  • Culminating Public Showcase

    Students present solutions in a celebratory event that highlights creativity, teamwork, and problem-solving for the local community.

  • Community Judges

    Final projects are reviewed by a panel of local professionals and changemakers—building civic pride and elevating student voice.

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  • “I really liked how I felt after the presentation, because even though I was super nervous before, it all ended up being ok! I also really enjoyed seeing my classmates’ presentations and all the work they had put into them.”

    – Participating Student, 10th grade, Hopkinton High School

  • “I loved judging this event, it was so great to see these kids be so passionate about their ideas and solutions to big real life issues.”

    – Participating Judge

  • “The best part of the program was when everything came together. At first, the paper and video seemed an insurmountable task. But when we finished---and made a finished product to be proud of–it was awesome.”

    – Participating Student, 11th grade, Hopkinton High School

  • “It was an inspiration to have students and the community come together to present their real world solutions. It was amazing how the kids thought of new ways to help with these problems. The judges provided a different perspective and safe advice to each team which was very thought provoking.”

    – Parent of participating student

  • “The best parts of the program were working together as a team and also researching a subject that I was truly interested in. These two things made the project unique and really fun.”

    – Participating Student, 11th grade, Hopkinton High School

  • “I enjoyed that we got to present what we had worked on for the past six weeks. It was a sense of being able to do something that we don’t get to do often – express our feelings about something important to us.”

    – Participating Student, 12th grade, Hinsdale High School

  • “It was great seeing our students build their self-confidence and demonstrate leadership, creativity, and problem-solving."

    – Parent of participating student

  • “When doing this project, I wasn't looking at my grade, I was looking at the real-world problem I was trying to help stop. I was interested in the problem I was trying to solve and how I was solving it.”

    – Participating Student, 10th grade, Hinsdale High School

  • “I really enjoyed participating as a judge for the Hinsdale High School Design Challenge. I was genuinely impressed by the creativity, passion, and effort each student brought to the table. It was exciting to see how their ideas reflected both innovation and a strong connection to their personal interests and aspirations.”

    – Participating Judge

  • “EXCELLENT experience - The event was well organized and the focus was appropriately and strongly on the students. It was fabulous to see families in the crowd cheering on their brave, innovative students. Thank you!”

    – Participating Judge

  • “I feel like this project helped me find interest in schoolwork when I usually don't. I found this project very interesting and fun.”

    – Participating Student, 9h grade, Hinsdale High School

  • “I learned how to feel for others more and how to work together with my peers.”

    – Participating Student, 9h grade, Hinsdale High School