MVPS Parents Discover DEEP Design Thinking

Every day, our students practice DEEP (Discover, Empathize, Experiment and Produce) design thinking. Every day they learn skills that will benefit them in the real world.
Recently, several members of our parent community were invited to experience what has become natural to our students.
Conceptualized and led by Mary Cantwell, Director of Mount Vernon’s Center for Design Thinking and parent, Adrienne Jacobsen, this project will take place over the course of five “meetups.”
The issue at hand? Helping the homeless who wander through Sandy Springs at the crossroads of Roswell Road and Johnson Ferry, bundled up wearing what they can’t fit into a shopping cart.
It all started when a parent would regularly see a man roaming the streets, who appeared to be homeless. She would eventually offer him a blanket, a cup of coffee and fast food. He was most appreciative, but declined the food, politely stating that he’d rather cook his own in a nearby park. At that point the parent reframed her approach. She asked, “What do you need? How might I help you?” With that, he replied that he needed bug spray, a tarp and money to purchase groceries. She realized something at that moment – maybe we can be of better help if we ask more questions without assuming we already know the answers.
Later, this parent came across the same man and recounted her exchange:
From this, came the I SEE YOU project. While our MVPS community already knows how to discover, empathize, experiment and produce, these parents get to make it happen. Follow their progress at #MVISEEYOU.