As part of our Month of Intuit, we brought in Ryan McAllister, Intuit’s Global Education GTM Leader, to talk about Intuit’s new Social Innovation Challenge. You can catch the full session here. This challenge is an incredible opportunity for students to use their skills to benefit their communities. The window to participate is closing quickly, with registration closing on September 26th. Keep reading to find out how your students can take part in this unique experience.
What is it?
Intuit's Social Innovation Challenge engages students from nonprofit partners and school districts to leverage design thinking to develop innovative solutions to social issues. During the six-week innovation experience, high school students across the United States will be challenged to tackle the following question: How might we help underrepresented aspiring business owners access equitable opportunities to starting a new business?
Why should my students compete?
This challenge provides an opportunity to engage students in learning durable skills while making a positive impact in their communities. Student will learn all about Intuit’s design thinking method, Design for Delight, and add new skills to their resume and college applications. By brainstorming and testing their theories, they can also stretch and strengthen their entrepreneurial muscles, all while learning how to work effectively in a team environment. Can you think of better practice for their future careers?
How can my students enter?
Joining the challenge is simple and free! Make sure to walk students through the four main steps:
- All students must register to participate by September 26th. Registration can be completed in a couple minutes using this form.
- After registering, students can form teams. Teams can include anywhere from two to eight students.
- For students who are unfamiliar with the Design for Delight principles, there is a self-paced course available. These principles will guide the students to create innovative solutions throughout the challenge.
- Teams should submit their final projects (which includes a video and written component) by October 12th. Workbooks and supplemental materials to help guide students will be available to all teams who register.
After all competing teams have submitted their projects, ten regional winners will be selected by a panel of Intuit judges. The winning teams will then be paired with an Intuit mentor who will support them through the final phases of their project. After honing and polishing their projects with their mentors, final submissions will be submitted on November 9th, with final winners announced on November 15th.
What will they win?
By participating in Intuit’s Social Innovation Challenge, every student walks away a winner. All participants will receive a free voucher for the Intuit Design for Delight Innovator certification. Regional winners will also be awarded a $250-value prize per team, plus additional prototype funding to bring their ideas to life.
National winners walk away with additional awards, with $5,000, $3,000, and $2,000 scholarships awarded to each student on the first, second, and third place teams, respectively.
Today’s students are anxious to give back to their communities, to stand up for justice, and make a difference. Through this challenge, you can get your students outside the classroom and help them learn durable skills that will last a lifetime.
Are you ready to get started? Find all the details and links to enter on Intuit’s website.