There’s always something new and exciting going on in our design labs! Take a tour through the space, and you’ll see walls of logos, posters of sunsets, and boxes of intricate 3D models—a snapshot of Mr Tran’s Entrepreneurship 12 class, where they explored “selling possibility” with support from Ms Van Rijn’s Digital Media 12 class.
In January, entrepreneurship students worked in groups to design logos for the class’s two teams: Big Bang and Comets. With the popular Netflix show Selling Sunset top of mind for many, the project grew; students put their logos into practice and created marketing posters for a space-themed real estate company.
Their next phase beginning in February focused on creating model houses, with students “selling” those houses to their classmates through engaging pitches. The project considered the reality of purchasing homes without seeing the final product—simply the models put together by developers and sold by their agents as construction gets underway. Grade 12 student Melissa created a two-storey, LED-lit, miniature home:
“I learned that Gorilla Glue can be removed with nail polish remover, and I also learned that if you just keep doing something, you'll finish eventually!” she said.
In early May, students learned how entrepreneurs in Vancouver have become an essential part of their community with a look at food trucks! Both blocks of Entrepreneurship 12 and Digital Media Design 12 had a special campus visit from the iconic West 4th-based Chickpea food truck.
Owner and entrepreneur Itamar shared his entrepreneurship story, coming from Israel and building his business from the ground up. Today, his business–and its colourful, bright food truck!--is a mainstay in Vancouver’s food fare; he is conscious of ensuring his restaurant and truck are a safe space for employees and customers from across the globe, no matter the language they speak.
His advice for students looking to build their own business?:
- “There is no I; there is we in life.”
- Use your anxiety about ideas as a tool for critical thinking or an option and vehicle to see what could happen. Look at it as a process of “what if”!
- And as their slogan states, “Change the world, one chickpea at a time. The world needs more chickpeace!”
With his insights in hand and a tasty takeaway box of Chickpea’s delicious vegan food, students finished the term by designing their own food trucks with the School’s 3D printers. Three teams created three separate trucks: an environmentally sustainable truck, a pop culture truck, and a truck for those with varying dietary restrictions. Students collaborated with the Digital Media Design 12 class to translate their design visions into a creative brief and their truck's final branding. Groups worked together to collaborate on branding elements, including writing a creative brief, designing a logo, and doing package and product design. Through the different stages of design thinking, groups created, tested and shared their overall creative concepts.
Grade 11 student Ann and Grade 12 student Maddie worked as the design team for the environmentally-sustainable truck, creating a soft-serve bike.
“It was interesting because it's like finding a way to combine ice cream and sustainability. Thinking about ice cream, it's usually in a truck,” Maddie explained. “How can we combine that with a more environmentally-friendly presentation?”
“I also learned how to use Adobe Illustrator!” Ann said.
The classes ended the year with presentations on current and past iconic entrepreneurs like Coco Chanel and Peloton’s founder John Foley, and discussions of the characteristics of an entrepreneur and the various ways to take famous brands to that next level.
“It’s been an honour sharing in the journey of this year‘s cohort of budding Entrepreneurs. I’m impressed by their resiliency, grit, and ability to adapt to the ever-changing business landscape,” Mr Tran said. “They have demonstrated heart, determination, and most of all, kindness to their peers and the larger community. It has been truly inspiring to witness.”
We can’t wait to see what the Arts and Applied Design Skills & Technology department comes up with next year!