Sage's Story: District C: what it is, how it works, and why it's worth your time

As a high schooler, it's not uncommon to walk the halls between classes and find peers complaining about the inapplicability of classroom topics such as right-angle trigonometry, frog anatomy, or stoichiometry. My Bible teacher even admitted never having used calculus since his last days in college. The level of specificity sometimes seems too abstract to be used regularly. When will we ever be presented with a triangle with one angle and two side values and asked to find the other variables? Besides, isn't that what computers are for?

I won't pretend that I wasn't once a complainer too: I have on occasion found myself wondering if teachers take the job just to show off their knowledge, however irrelevant it may be. And this coming from a consistent A-honor roll student.

So naturally, when the opportunity to enroll in an elective that had the potential for real-world impact rolled around, I wasn't going to pass it up.

This program offered me not only a chance to apply topics that I had been learning in the classroom, but also an opportunity to learn new and applicable skills and create an impact beyond the beige walls of my high school.

What is District C?

District C is a nonprofit organization that connects small groups of high school students and local companies with the intention of finding solutions for problems within that company.

How does District C work?

This program--called Teamship--takes the form of a semester- or year-long elective or an intensive (1-2 weeks). However condensed the cycle is, it always consists of six main parts.

The Pre-Planning

Before students meet with the company, they'll have some time to look over the company's problem statement, website, social media accounts, and any other resources.

The Launch

This is the first interaction between the students and the company. During this stage, they'll sit down with a few business representatives and ask them questions about the company and the problem statement. The goal of this exercise is to figure out why the problem exists. You can create solutions to a problem all day long, but until you understand why the problem occurs, none of those solutions will be effective. Sometimes a cut needs stitches to heal, not a Band-Aid to cover it up.

Team Time & Meeting 2

Then, they'll talk through the information and begin to find the root of the problem.

District C provides teams with tried-and-true tools to guide students in their questioning and ideating. These are crucial to any good solution-izing process, and they'll make each task just a little bit less daunting. They guarantee efficient use of team time as well.

Halfway between the launch and the pitch, the students will have another opportunity to ask questions to the company reps.

Then, they move on to ideating solutions for the presentation!

Optional: Field Trip/On-Site Observation

Some businesses invite the Teamship class to their campus or job site to experience firsthand the environment. This is extremely enriching to the process.

The Pitch

After thorough research and dedicated thought, the students pitch their solutions to the company.

A note about coaches...

Coaches are the mentors throughout the process. They'll offer tools to use at different times and they'll be there if students hit a roadblock.

Not a high schooler, but still interested in being a part of this experience? Coaching might be the right fit for you. Contact District C if this is something you're interested in.

Why is District C worth your time?

 

This program has so much to offer the up and coming generation. Most importantly, it gives high school students the opportunity to put their classroom skills to use, in situations with very real consequences. But it also builds an effective problem-solving toolbox that each participator can take with them to college and into the workforce. Not to mention it's a ton of fun!

I have also been offered several internships and have been encouraged to apply for a job at several of these companies after a pitch. I can't guarantee this outcome for everyone, but I can also say that we haven't been the only Teamship class offered internships/employment as an outcome of this process.

"These students were among the sharpest, most insightful, and most motivated people I've ever worked with, regardless of age... I was beyond impressed at every stage of the process - from their initial skepticism, through their intense research, to their ownership of the final suggestions. If these students didn't already have their next few years planned out at the top colleges in the country, I would be very eager to offer many of them a job--and I sincerely hope I have the opportunity to work with them again." -Kasper Kubica, Carpe

From a company perspective, this is an extremely effective problem-solving method. Each of these students provides a different perspective, and they have the time to dig deep into each issue when you don't. In my experience, businesses are often blown away by the efficiency of each presented idea.

In Summary, a Single Perspective

Over the last year and a half, I've worked with six companies (and am currently ideating for my seventh!) and I've never been a part of an experience so impactful. Our kickoff problem cycle with The Green Chair Project had us physically reorganizing their front porch that they felt didn't "reflect dignity to those associated with The Green Chair Project." Carpe asked us to help them drive up sales of their (notably very effective) pioneer antiperspirant products for all over the body. In our cycle with WorkTok, we looked into why so many free trial users didn't want to sign up for a paid subscription and dove into the logistics of platform engagement during our partnership with Skillsoft. We then had the opportunity to work with Carpe again as they asked us to improve their TikTok presence. Most recently, we pitched employee retention strategies to IPS Adhesives.

Each of these problem statements has taught me something new about the world of business; from marketing and aesthetic to efficacy and recruitment, Teamship has been not only an opportunity to work with businesses, but it's been a time of personal growth as well. I can confidently say that I am far more equipped to enter the workforce than I was two years ago, with experience in presentation skills, public speaking, and root cause problem solving.

I look forward to many more cycles with District C in the next few years!

Interested in joining a Teamship class or applying to coach? Check out the District C website here or contact them directly to learn more.

A huge thank you to Laura Jacobs and Amy Stevens for coaching Teamship these last two years! I appreciate you both!