Student-Led Innovation

Here are three ways for students to help reinvent learning through participation in the design process.

Design with Students:
For high school students, create a project-based experience that will impact the final design of the school. At the British International School of Houston, older students designed goat pens that are still used as part of the school’s focus on outdoor learning and exploration.

Build Soft Skills:
Students are some of the most eloquent and passionate advocates for reinventing learning. Involve students in the design process and let them take ownership. During the design of the new Booker T. Washington High School for the Engineering Professions in Houston, students made presentations on design concepts to teachers, community members, and their peers.

Think Small:
For elementary school students, art projects are a great way to put their mark on a building. At the new West Muskingum Elementary School in Zanesville, Ohio, elementary school students designed wall tiles that went into the restrooms.

This article originally appeared in the School Planning & Management October 2018 issue of Spaces4Learning.

Featured

  • UNT Dallas Holds Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony for $100M STEM Building

    The University of North Texas at Dallas in Dallas, Texas, recently celebrated the opening of its new, $100-million STEM Building, according to local news. The ceremony on Dec. 2 preceded the first day of classes in the facility on Jan. 12, 2026.

  • Massachusetts K–12 District Selects Architect for New Junior High

    Swansea Public Schools in Swansea, Mass., recently announced that it has selected Finegold Alexander Architects to design a new junior high school for the district, according to a news release. The firm will create the Feasibility Study and Schematic Design for Joseph Case Junior High School after a lengthy selection process by the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA).

  • UNL Kiewit Hall

    Designing for Engineering Excellence: Integrating Sustainability and Wellness at UNLs Kiewit Hall

    Kiewit Hall at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln exemplifies how academic institutions can integrate sustainability and wellness into modern learning environments. With an integrated and collaborative team approach, Kiewit Hall addresses enhanced learning and creativity, physical health, and mental wellness, and fosters a sense of community through innovative design, operations, and policy solutions.

  • Benson Polytechnic High School in Portland, OR

    Preserving Legacy, Designing for the Future

    As historic academic buildings age, institutions face a difficult decision: preserve and adapt or demolish and rebuild. How do we honor the legacy of these spaces while adapting them to meet the needs of modern learners?

Digital Edition