CHALLENGE

Design touches everything, from the products we use and the spaces we inhabit, to the systems that shape how we live and work. Yet the pathways into the design and creative industries remain inaccessible to many students who have never been introduced to design as a discipline, a career, or a way of thinking. The educators who could open that door rarely have the training, tools, or professional connections to do it. And the industry loses out on a generation of creative thinkers it never got the chance to meet.

HOW IT WORKS

Design= operates through two interconnected components that work together to bring design thinking into the classroom and connect students directly to the creative industries.

The Design= Curriculum Kit

At the heart of Design= is a free, robust curriculum created in collaboration with educators and creative professionals. It includes adaptable lesson plans, student worksheets, classroom videos, and a comprehensive presentation deck complete with educator training. Nine structured lessons, approximately 60 minutes each, walk students through the full design thinking process: Challenge, Research, Ideation, Prototype, Iteration, Presentation, and Reflection. Any teacher, of any subject, can run it.

Beyond the Classroom

The curriculum is the foundation, but Design= goes further. Delivered in partnership with schools, professional designers, and industry partners, students receive mentoring, project critiques, career exploration workshops, and field trips that connect them directly with the design profession. These experiences build creative confidence and career awareness in students who have not previously considered design as a path.

WHAT YOU GAIN

For Industry and Agency Partners

Partnering with Design= puts your organization at the center of a national initiative that is building the next generation of creative talent. Your investment funds direct deployment in schools and communities, putting your brand and employees in front of students, educators, and administrators.

• Direct engagement with students, educators, and schools in communities that matter to your business

• Brand association with a program producing measurable outcomes

• A meaningful connection between your organization’s community investment and real educational outcomes

• Employee engagement opportunities through mentorship, project critiques, and career exploration workshops

For Schools & Districts

• Design= gives your educators a fully developed, freely accessible curriculum they can implement immediately, regardless of their familiarity with design; no prior experience required

• A complete curriculum kit with lesson plans, student worksheets, classroom videos, and educator training

• Access to professional designers and mentors who bring the creative industries directly into your classroom

• A program that supports core curriculum while building critical thinking, collaboration, and real-world career readiness

IN PRACTICE

Since its launch, Design= has reached 2,612 students and 204 educators across 14 U.S. cities, with 71 design mentors engaged from across the creative industries. The program has been deployed in Akron, Baltimore, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dallas, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Philadelphia, Seattle, and Washington, DC.

Program Outcomes

• 92% of high school students reported increased interest in creative careers after participating

• 92% of high school students report increased interest in creative careers after participating

• 90%+ of both educators and students recommend Design= to their peers

• 81% of students expressed greater confidence tackling creative problems after participating

• Educators noted increases in students’ critical thinking, collaboration skills, and real-world career readiness

INVESTMENT

For Industry and Agency Partners

In most scenarios, industry and agency partners fund and collaborate on deployments in schools and communities across the country. Partnerships are tailored to your organization’s goals, geographic priorities, and community investment strategy. Past deployments have been supported by Amazon, Delta Dental, Intuit, and Vans, with additional support from Long Beach Unified School District.

For Schools & Districts

The Design= Curriculum Kit is free and available to any educator. For schools and districts interested in expanded programming, including professional designer mentorship, project critiques, career exploration workshops, and field trips, we work directly with you to design the right level of engagement for your community.

DESIGN= IS GROWING. WE’D LOVE TO BRING IT TO YOUR COMMUNITY.

Whether you’re a school or district looking to bring design thinking into your classrooms, or an organization looking to invest in the next generation of creative talent, we would love to hear from you.