Design Challenge
The Chicago Public Education Fund (The Fund) Design Challenge is a $50,000 school investment initiative that will provide funding to schools for the innovative solutions and promising practices they developed this past school year. Winning teams will receive up to $10,000 to use toward implementing their proposal in their schools.
Finalists will receive support from The Fund’s Design Consultant, Leadership + Design, to prepare and present their innovation project at a virtual event on April 8th. Finalists and winning projects will be selected based on a range of criteria, with the aim to distribute funds to all winning schools by the end of April.
Congratulations to our School Finalists!
Grand Winner:
- Sayre Language Academy
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Finals Round Runner-ups:
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Semi-finals Winners:
- Sarah E. Goode Steam Academy
- Edward Everett STEM Elementary School
- Lincoln Park High School
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Semi-finals Runner-ups:
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Frequently Asked Questions | Updated March 25.2022
Can we include video and photos in any sections we want on our mural board?
Yes, it is your workspace so feel free to include whatever information you think is needed for your team or the judges!
Can we use a different platform for the pitch deck?
Yes, provided all the key content is covered (as indicated through the slide deck on the right side of your Mural Board), you may use PowerPoint, Google or Canva for your presentation.
Since we can now use the pitch deck in PowerPoint, Google, Canva, etc. will the judges review that part in our workspace score?
No, the judges will focus on the workspace which will make up 75% of your score and your pitch deck will be part of the 25% of your score. If you choose to use another program, you may be required to send your slides after your pitch.
How long is the pitch?
5 minutes with a 1 minute buffer. The judges will have questions they ask you but the entire process will be about 10 minutes.
I participated in a design studio in the past. Can I get access to my old Mural links?
Yes! Please email Ashley Smith <asmith@edusigner.com> to get access to past Mural boards.
What type of empathy data can I put on my Mural board?
In addition to the empathy interviews, other empathy actions could include any classroom observations you’ve conducted, or immersive experiences you have done. You may include past empathy data on your Mural Board, provided it’s about the same priority group of students. With that said, if your data is more than 3-6 months old, you may want to refresh with some new interviews as the needs of your user group may have changed.
How will my school’s pitch be scored?
The pitches will be 25% of the overall school’s score. Please see this rubric for information on how the pitch portion will be scored
What’s the agenda for the virtual event on April 8th? Does my team need to be available the entire time?
No, your team does not need to attend the full three hours, but you are welcome to observe other presentations in your breakout room (with video and audio off and hidden so as not to distract) and in the finalist round if you are not presenting. Schools are asked to attend the welcome (first 15 minutes), be available for their 10-minute presentation, and attend the awards ceremony. Your school team’s exact time slot will be emailed to you by April 7th at 12:00pm. Below is a high-level agenda of what you can expect on April 8th.
- Welcome and Introductions (9 - 9:15am)
- Presentations (9:15 - 11:25am)
- Announcement of Prizes (11:40-12:00pm)
Key Dates
- 2/9 - 3/3: Design Challenge Application Launch and Close
- 3/11: Decisions are announced
- 3/15-16: Finalists engage in webinars from 12:00p.m. - 1:00p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 15 and Wednesday March 16.
- 3/17: Finalists schedule coaching call with Leadership + Design to receive individualized feedback.
- 4/5: Final Mural Boards are due
- 4/8: Virtual Design Challenge where finalists present their projects (9:00a.m. - 12:00p.m.)
