Year-long Option

HIP implementations

When running HIP throughout the academic year, it is recommended that implementations meet at least weekly for a minimum of one hour. This helps to maintain consistency of the work and engagement in the topics. Some schools, however, have found success in less frequent meetings for longer (e.g., every other week for 2-3 hours or even a monthly 1 or 2-day workshop dedicated completely to the project).

Benefits of extending across an entire school year include

• A visible commitment for all stakeholders to see the importance placed on the program over a long duration.
• Increased opportunities for virtual cross-cultural exchanges as timetables are easier to plan and arrange.
• Opportunity to go deeply into problems worth solving and refine, iterate, and improve until the authentic product or service is fully implemented for its target audience.
• Flexibility in how the implementation is fit into schedules without worrying if there are occasional interruptions or cancellations due to scheduling and calendars
• Flexibility in how the implementation is aligned with other school goals.
  • For instance, one school has incorporated HIP into other leadership and enterprise endeavors, making the connections natural and seamless with time that was already built into schedules.
• Flexibility to allow for scaffolding on the level needed
  • For instance, some of our younger participants have chosen this implementation which allows for more time to grasp concepts, interact with resources, and develop their own research, products, and materials in response.

It is important to note that while increased flexibility exists in such extended implementations, it is important to take advantage of associated affordances such as the exchanges and expert sessions as well as set out benchmarks that suit the learners. These adjustments allow students to remain engaged rather than begin to feel they are “dragging on” for too long. Instead, they can challenge themselves to the next benchmark, event, or interaction ensuring they have new materials and progress to report.

Some samples of outcomes based on this style of implementation are from the groups

• Sea Savers – Raising awareness through distribution of products designed to educate members of society on the impacts of coral bleaching and what can and should be done to counter its effects. This team is planning design of reusable canvas bags with appealing sea-based designs, inclusive of researched materials to learn more and carry the information beyond the purchase.
• Tree Troop – Has partnered with an organization that plants trees in efforts to counter impact of deforestation. This team has impacts of habitat loss and biome damage in their own “backyard,” and as such are wanting to personally engage with re-forestation. They will incorporate local and native plants into baking as a dual purpose of raising awareness and funds to further their own participation in this service.