Using Design Thinking to Build
Sustainable Mindsets at South Fayette
S
outh Fayette 8th grade students
are building sustainable mindsets
throughout the middle school
using human-centered design thinking
strategies. As part of the Expanding
Innovation Grant, provided by the
Grable Foundation, Remake Learning
Network and LUMA Institute, South
Fayette Township School District has
partnered with Fort Cherry School
District and Chatham University’s
Eden Hall Campus to help students
understand sustainability in a deeper,
more personalized way.
As part of this program, teachers
and students have learned human-
centered design strategies from the
LUMA Institute like Rose, Thorn, Bud;
Affinity Clustering; and Visualize the
Vote to brainstorm, research and design
sustainable practices at South Fayette
Middle School. The projects the students
have designed this year are inspiring and
made the school come alive this spring.
Through their work, students
brainstormed potential sustainable
solutions, storyboarded their ideas
and agreed upon a few directions to
head. Through extensive research and
creativity, they determined how to
implement their projects and what
materials would be needed. Students
participated in a conference called
Seeds of Change at Chatham University
where they shared their ideas and
project progress in front of groups of
students and adults from other schools
around the region. After answering
questions and receiving feedback at
the conference, the students returned
to school ready to tackle any additional
questions or problems that emerged.
LIVING WALL
Students designed and built a living
wall system in the courtyard and 8th
grade hallway at South Fayette Middle
School. Inspired by the Vertical Living
Wall they saw on a trip to Chatham
University’s Eden Hall Campus, and
working with Dean Stewart, Director
52 South Fayette
of Maintenance and
Grounds students
installed a vertical
gardening system
complete with
irrigation and planted
sedum, phlox, and ice
plants outside and
other plants to help
improve air quality
inside.
RAISED
GARDEN BEDS
The newly
constructed and
planted raised beds
in the Middle School
Courtyard will produce
vegetables. The
beds include miniature greenhouses
to prolong the growing season into
late fall. The goal of this project is to
use the vegetables in their Consumer
Science classes with Pat Roseto. In addition,
students will design and conduct controlled
experiments to determine the optimal
growing conditions for the plants.