Empowering Campus Changemakers: Redesigning

Genius Hour for Community Action

By Lana Mouzoon, Dawson Faculty

In the past, Dawson’s quarterly Genius Hour class provided students with a valuable opportunity to explore their interests and passions through projectbased learning. This seventh-grade insights course always sought to help students prepare for their eighth-grade Capstone project, when they would bring positive change to the larger Las Vegas community. However, the course had limitations in terms of promoting collaboration among students and connecting their projects to the Dawson community. In response to these challenges, the course was redesigned to focus on empowering students to make positive changes within our school through a year-long collaborative community action project. This article explores the benefits of the new course format, shares student success stories and their lasting impacts, and celebrates the many ways this course serves as a guidepost for high-quality PBL projects across other courses and disciplines.

The redesigned Genius Hour course, now known as the Seventh-Grade Community Action Project, centers around a year-long project that requires students to identify a problem or opportunity in the Dawson community and develop a solution or initiative to address it. Although it is a year-long project, students join this insights class for only one quarter throughout the year. Students collaborate through Google Spaces to share files and ideas with others who participated in the same project across the other three quarters. To support students throughout this process, the course is structured around the Dawson Design Process: Investigate and Define, Brainstorm, Propose, Iterate and Improve, Share, and Revisit. While the Dawson Design Process is primarily used in our science and design classes, this was the perfect opportunity to apply the process toward no-tech to low-tech design solutions resulting in community change.

During the Investigate and Define phase, students conduct interviews and use surveys and other research methods to better understand the problem they are trying to solve. The Brainstorm phase has students generating ideas ranging from no-tech to low-tech and immediate change to longterm change. In the Propose phase, students use design thinking and project-management tools to develop a feasible plan for their initiative. In the Iterate and Improve phase, students put their plan into action and assess its effectiveness. In the Share phase, they present their solution to community members and receive feedback. Finally, in the Revisit phase, they reflect on their work and identify opportunities for further improvement by future student groups who select the same project topic. Using the Dawson Design Process, students can develop solutions grounded in research, iterate, and respond to feedback from their peers and community members.

The new course format has numerous benefits for students. First, it provides them with agency over their learning and encourages them to take ownership of their projects. Additionally, it promotes collaboration among students because they work together in groups to develop their initiatives. This teamwork aspect fosters leadership skills, communication, and empathy. Lastly, students have the opportunity to work on highquality, real-world projects that have a tangible impact upon their community.

Several successful student-led initiatives have emerged from this Community Action course.

Recess Equipment

Mentor: Chris Estrella, Director of Middle School

Through their efforts, students achieved several successes that will leave a lasting impact on their school. From surveying their peers about the state of recess equipment to researching and ordering a ball box well-suited to their desert climate, this group showed incredible dedication to their cause. They took ownership of collecting and tracking the balls and worked with Dawson’s facilities team to retrieve them from the roofs of buildings. Their commitment to building community awareness is truly inspiring, and they launched the “See a Ball, Save a Ball” campaign to encourage others to take action. Additionally, the group’s collaboration with Dean of Athletics Mike Buchmiller and their presentation to school administration regarding ordering budgets demonstrated their strong leadership skills and ability to effect change on a larger scale.

Student Voices

Mentors: Justin Hermanek, Senior Systems Administrator, and Rachael Lachhwani, Communications Manager

Through their various projects, this group showed deep commitment to promoting student engagement and involvement within their school community. By surveying their peers about their familiarity with Dawson’s school publication the Petroglyph, the group gained valuable insight into the needs and interests of the student body. They then set up a listening station with current and past issues of the Petroglyph to encourage more students to engage with the publication. Additionally, their creation of a student version of the Dawson Journal provided a platform for students to share their own perspectives and ideas with the community. The group’s efforts to increase community involvement with the School’s social media accounts were also incredibly impactful, launching an awareness campaign that helped to elevate the School’s online presence. By filming a “A Day in the Life of a Middle School Student”, the group showcased the unique experiences of their peers and created a deeper sense of understanding and connection within the community. Lastly, the group’s development of their own news show, the Bears’ Broadcast, demonstrated their skills in media production and ability to communicate effectively with their peers.

New Students

Mentors: Krista Jacobsen, Director of Early Childhood & Admissions, and Dr. Nicole Zito, Dean of Teaching & Learning

Through their various projects and initiatives, this group worked to ensure every new student feels valued and included as members of our community. By surveying new students and members of the Admissions team, the group gained valuable insight into the needs and experiences of those who are new to the School. They then used this information to create welcoming notes to be placed inside each new student’s locker, as well as a friendship club that served to help new students to connect with peers. The group also collaborated closely with the Admissions team on several projects, including the creation of “Welcome to Dawson” videos for newly admitted students and the drafting of personal letters to rising middle school students. These efforts helped to create a sense of connection and belonging for new students, even before they arrived on campus. The group’s “Meet Up and Munch” event was a great success, as it allowed new and returning students to bond over shared interests and hobbies. Through thoughtful questions and active listening, the group gained helpful knowledge surrounding how to make the new student experience even more inclusive and supportive in the future.

Student Voice Group Week

Mentors: Roxanne Stansbury, Head of School; Meg Aumann, Director of Talent Acquisition & Community Engagement; and Shea Phillips, Marketing & Digital Content Manager

This project was a testament to the passion and dedication of one Dawson student who took it upon herself to Level Up our Student Voice Groups. Dawson’s ally-based and affinity-based groups give every student a safe space to participate in critical conversations about race, equity, diversity, and inclusion to grow personally and as a global change agent. The student organized a week-long event in May for different middle school groups to showcase their important work and the topics they discuss. This student even presented independently at a DEI faculty meeting, demonstrating her leadership skills and commitment to making a difference. The success of Student Voice Group Week is a shining example of the Dawson Difference and a reminder of the power of student-driven initiatives.

Unstructured Academic Time

Mentor: Nissa Reynolds, Dean of Student Services of the buddy system to Dawson. From scheduling events and communicating with administration and staff to facilitating activities and gathering feedback, they successfully organized activities that brought students from different grade levels together, including STEAM-focused egg-drop challenges, reading buddies, combined health and fitness classes, and shared grade-level snack events. Their dedication and commitment to building a stronger, more connected community through the buddy system is an inspiration to all.

This project was initiated during the quarter-four rotation of the insights class, giving students the option to continue an existing project or select a new area of focus that aligned with their interests. Students recognized the need for more unstructured time in the Dawson cycle and conducted surveys to gather information about student workload and teacher perspectives on unstructured class time. They met with administrators to discuss scheduling for the upcoming year, researched other schools in Las Vegas for inspiration, and learned how being Nevada’s first Challenge Success school affects Dawson’s day-to-day schedule. Lastly, they created a goal-setting solution to test in various classes for students to prepare for and reflect on opportunities for unstructured time during the day.

LESSER-KNOWN STAFF

Mentors: Torry Martin, Senior Director of Safety & Security, and Rich Lehrer, Director of Academic Innovation & Design

CROSS-GRADE BUDDIES

Mentors: Dr. Brandon Wiley, Chief Academic Officer, and Amanda Musgrave, Director of Lower School

This project group demonstrated the power of bringing joy and connection to our Dawson community through thoughtful planning and execution. The cross-grade buddies program builds relationships and understanding across grade levels, helps develop students’ social and listening skills, creates mentorship opportunities for our older students, and gives our younger students a positive role model on campus. With a deep understanding of the positive impact the program has on students, the group passionately researched and planned various events to bring back the joy

This project group recognized the importance of acknowledging and uplifting the staff members who have a direct impact on the daily lives of students but often go unnoticed. With a deep sense of curiosity and empathy, they conducted research and interviews with department supervisors to compile a database of lesser-known staff. Students then took the time to interview each staff member in person to learn about their hobbies, interests, and favorite foods. Using graphic design software, they created personalized posters for each staff member for display in the Dining Hall to showcase the diversity of the Dawson community. The group solicited feedback and took time to reflect on their design throughout the process, culminating in the launch of “Behind-the-Scenes Bears Day” in collaboration with fourth-graders in the Lower School during Dawson Appreciation Week. The group’s dedication to highlighting the unsung heroes of the Dawson community serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of empathy, connection, and community.

After teaching the freshly redesigned Community Action Project class during the 2022-2023 school year, it is evident that all students would benefit from having a course like this in school. I presented “Empowering Campus Changemakers” at both the Online Education Strategies for Independent Schools (OESIS) Schools of the Future Conference and for a group of educators visiting Dawson during the National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference this past February. My session highlighted the Community Action course’s redesign and its success in empowering students to make positive changes in their community. The presentation also provided other educators with best practices for implementing similar project-based learning changemaker initiatives in their schools. It highlighted the importance of providing students with agency, promoting collaboration, and focusing on projects that have a meaningful impact on the community.

The success of Dawson’s Community Action course is just one example of how schools can use project-based learning, the design process, and a changemaker mindset to empower students to create positive change. By engaging students in authentic, realworld projects and equipping them with the skills and tools to develop effective solutions, schools can help students see themselves as capable agents of change in their communities. Additionally, by focusing on collaboration, creativity, and empathy, these initiatives can promote the development of key 21st-century skills that are critical for success in the workforce and beyond. As more schools incorporate these elements into their innovation initiatives, we can expect to see a new generation of empowered, engaged, and socially responsible young people who are capable of making a positive impact on their communities and the world.

Seventh-Grade Genius Hour Student Quotes

How can a community change project help students develop skills that are useful beyond the classroom and in their future careers?

“A community change project at our school helps students develop skills that are useful beyond the classroom and in their future careers because it enables them to become changemakers. They are learning problem-solving skills and how to take charge from a young age, giving them skill sets that will be useful no matter where they are. Collaborating with a mentor and learning how to develop ideas of their own will later contribute to a student’s future life.”

– Isabelle Giger

Why did you choose to pursue your Dawson issue?

“Grade-Level Buddies matters because I was a part of the buddy system when I was younger, and I think it’s important for kids to experience teaming up with older or younger kids.” – Jasmine Liu

How did your project and community change efforts impact your personal growth and sense of purpose within the Dawson community?

“It impacted my growth by helping people and this project was very fun. It created a sense of purpose within Dawson because it took teamwork and a group effort.” –

Kai Stryker

In your opinion, what is the most important lesson that students can learn from participating in a community change project at their school?

“The most important lesson that students can learn from participating in a community change project at their school could be just to be a good person, like kindness, respectfulness, and so much other things that can make a good human.” –

Rylin Kohl

What advice would you give to other students who are interested in pursuing projects aligned with their passions and making a difference in their community?

“I would tell other students that as long as you put enough effort in, you can make almost anything happen in your community. In order to be successful, you need to work hard to make your dreams come true. When making change in your community, you must stay open-minded, because your ideas need to be able to adapt.” –

Amelia Giger