By Sue Moore
Teams from Schoolcraft and Vicksburg placed in a statewide industrial design competition for awards given annually by the Michigan Design Council (MDC).
“Our goal is to increase participation year over year by encouraging educators to showcase the power of design thinking along with the creative outlet of industrial design,” said Jeff DeBoer, the executive director of the design council. “We hope this competition becomes a stepping stone for the next generation of great industrial designers employed in Michigan.”
Students are invited to tackle a design challenge linked to Michigan and larger societal issues, he said. Students are encouraged to use design thinking principles as their pathway to innovation. This year’s Design Prize challenge was to design a product to help people explore and enjoy Michigan’s parks.
The MDC hosted a group of 250 attendees to recognize gold, silver and bronze winners along with honorable mentions in the competition, for students up to grade 12. The attendees included students and parents, teachers and administrators, industry and state government partners, at the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Honorable mentions went to one team in at Schoolcraft High and three teams at Vicksburg High. Greg Mills, the industrial arts teacher in Vicksburg, received the Director’s award. It recognizes an instructor that exemplifies teaching creative problem solving and design thinking skills in their classroom.
Honorable Mention – Andrew Giese, Peyton Fisher, Levi Balcom, Schoolcraft High School, Schoolcraft. Entry – Electronic Nature Guide.
Honorable Mention – Maxwell Tidey, Ryan Sink, Zachary West, Chase Perry, Vicksburg. High School, Vicksburg. Entry – Mackinac Island State Park.
Honorable Mention – Cody VanderHorst, Parker St. Clair, DJ Bullock, Taylor Burson, Vicksburg High School, Vicksburg. Entry – D.E.L.L. Express.
Honorable Mention – Kyle Rose, Tim Axtell, David Benedict, Tanner Groves, Vicksburg High School, Vicksburg. Entry – Newaygo State Park.